Planning to drive into Malaysia over the long weekend? With the revision to toll charges at land checkpoints, we’ve put together a quick and dirty guide to tell you if it’s worth the journey up north.
The long weekend is upon us, and you know the drill. We scour the web for travel guides, book ourselves a couple extra days of leave, and pack our bags for that much-needed quick getaway — because that’s just what we do. The most obvious destination of choice would be Johor Bahru (JB), Malaysia a.k.a. our favourite neighbour, where we go on to partake in a range of self-care activities like eating, exploring, and shopping.
But now that toll prices have gone up, are travels up north all that worth it still? The short answer is that it depends. In true GP paper fashion, we’re laying out the pros and cons in this easy breezy guide that’ll give you a little more clarity.
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Entering Malaysia — How Much Does It Cost?
With the revised toll charges that kicked in at Tuas Checkpoint on the 31st of March, tourists driving into Malaysia will now be subject to peak period charges throughout the day, with off-peak rates being scrapped.
Now, those driving cars will be required to pay a toll of $2.10 throughout the day. The price revisions will also affect other vehicle categories, with heavy goods vehicles facing a heftier charge of $11.30, up from $2 at off-peak periods.
Here’s a breakdown of your total costs to enter Malaysia (for those driving cars):
| Singapore Woodlands / Tuas Checkpoint (Departure) | 💸 S$2.10 |
| Malaysia Checkpoint (Departure) | 💸 RM20 (~S$6.10) |
| Malaysia PLUS Toll Charge | 💸 RM2.90 (~S$0.90) |
| Returning to Singapore | 💸 S$2.10 |
Excluding your petrol costs (don’t forget the three-quarter tank rule!), you’ll be kicking off your road trip with a total cost of S$11.20. We’ll make a rough (and very liberal) estimate and round this figure up to S$20 once your fuel costs are factored in.
Toll Charges At Land Checkpoints Have Increased. Is It Still Worth Driving Into Malaysia?: Find out more here
Is It Worth It?: The Pros
Even though the foreign exchange rate between SGD and MYR is at 3.34 at the time of writing, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re saving three times as much when you spend in Malaysia. We’d have to factor in things like the relative cost of living, and this amount can vary across the different product categories, from food to accommodation.
1. Food, Glorious Food
Image credits: Streetdirectory.com
Well, this one’s a no-brainer. From the freshest seafood to lok lok stalls serving up a near infinite amount of skewers, and not forgetting the endless stream of insta-worthy cafes with dishes that taste as good as they look, the food itself should be a huge draw for Singaporeans to visit.
Now if we take a closer look at cafes specifically, you’d be looking to shell out at least S$40 – S$50 here in Singapore. However, in JB, you’d be looking to spend about S$10 – S$20 on average, and this includes the full works like a fresh cuppa and other side dishes! For hawker stalls (even the iconic ones), you can expect this cost to go down to anything under S$5 — and that’s for at least two people.
Toll Charges At Land Checkpoints Have Increased. Is It Still Worth Driving Into Malaysia?: Check out our guide to the best bars in JB here
2. Shop Till You Drop
Image credits: Attraction Details
From KSL City Mall to Mid Valley Southkey, you can expect to find tons of main-street labels like Uniqlo, lululemon and Converse, and iconic luxury labels including Dior and Coach in the many shopping malls peppered around JB. While prices may not necessarily be cheaper in JB, we reckon you can still cash in on some sweet deals, along with products that may be sold out in Singapore.
Of course, we love doing a spot of grocery and essentials shopping, because #adulting. If you’re buying in bulk, you can definitely expect to save quite a bit of money. Plus, for the month of April, you get to enjoy up to 5% cashback every weekend when you spend a min. of S$300 in MYR using your YouTrip Card! If this isn’t a sign to stock up on your essentials, then we don’t know what is.
Toll Charges At Land Checkpoints Have Increased. Is It Still Worth Driving Into Malaysia?: Check out what else you can do on your JB weekend getaway here
3. Adventures And Everything In Between
Image credits: soiwander.blogspot.com
While a bulk of us visit JB for very utilitarian reasons like the above, there is also a big handful that do so for adventures and experiences that Singapore cannot offer. For instance, taking a road trip out to Gunung Ledang, a.k.a. Mount Ophir, for scenic views that stretch for miles, or hitting up the many adventure parks in the vicinity — there are just so many things you can do in JB that money cannot buy. And for us, that is a huge plus point.
Toll Charges At Land Checkpoints Have Increased. Is It Still Worth Driving Into Malaysia?: If you’re looking for off-the-beaten-path adventures and activities, check out our nifty guide here
Is It Worth It?: The Cons
1. Reduced GST Relief
Image credits: GIPHY
Since 2019, travellers who spend less than 48 hours outside of Singapore will only enjoy S$100 GST relief, a drop from S$150. And those who spend more than 48 hours outside of Singapore will enjoy a relief of S$500, instead of S$600.
What does this mean for you? Well, you will probably have to play it smarter with your purchases from Malaysia to ensure that you don’t go over the limit. Or else, you’d have to shell out an extra 8% on your imported goods. It also means that you’d be better off taking a longer vacay if stocking up on essentials is the name of your travel game.
Toll Charges At Land Checkpoints Have Increased. Is It Still Worth Driving Into Malaysia?: Find out more here
2. Petrol Costs
Image credits: The Straits Times
As mentioned earlier, the three-quarter tank rule means that you won’t be able to capitalise on the substantially cheaper fuel prices at the beginning. And if you’re only zipping around to a couple of destinations during your stay, chances are you’ll still end up with quite a bit of gas by the end of your trip. Plus, the sale of the subsidised RON95 petrol to foreigners has been prohibited. This means that you’d have to opt for the slightly more expensive RON97 or RON100 options.
Our take? Don’t let saving money on petrol be a key determinant for you to enter JB. Instead, use this opportunity to do things that you won’t be able to do here in Singapore! There’s so much beauty in JB and its surroundings, so go on and enjoy all that they have to offer.
Toll Charges At Land Checkpoints Have Increased. Is It Still Worth Driving Into Malaysia?: Check out the petrol prices here
3. Traffic
Image credits: Motorist.sg
Rush hour traffic here in Singapore is already a pain, so you can only imagine how crazy it can be at the respective checkpoints — especially if you’re travelling over a long weekend. (Remember when this Singaporean family got stuck at the checkpoint for seven hours?) While things are definitely a lot better, we should still expect a couple of hours spent waiting.
That said, you should ask yourself if saving a couple of dollars is worth all that time spent in traffic. After all, time is money.
Toll Charges At Land Checkpoints Have Increased. Is It Still Worth Driving Into Malaysia?: Read more about the best times to travel across the Causeway here!
The Verdict
It’s no surprise that we still think making that trip up is so worth it. But to truly get more bang for your buck, you should invest a little bit more time researching whether it’s worth the effort to bring goods over from Malaysia back into Singapore, especially if we’re expecting very minute differences in price points. Additionally, you should also consider extending your trip, or travelling at non-peak hours in order to get your money’s worth. Another way to make your dollar go the extra mile? Make use of your YouTrip Card to enjoy our wholesale exchange rates, which means a whole lot more savings!
Ultimately, this guide presents a very simplistic view of what matters most to you when travelling across the border, but we hope that it can help offer insight as to how to fully utilise your time in JB.
As Singapore’s favourite multi-currency wallet, we aim to get those pesky fees out of the way and help you save on your travels. With the best foreign exchange rates, no longer will you have to deal with those long queues at money changers! So if you’re looking for a go-to travel card, sign up for your complimentary YouTrip card today with promo code <YTBLOG5> for FREE S$5 credits and head over to our YouTrip Perks page for exclusive offers and promotions — we promise you won’t regret it. For more great tips and articles like this, join our Telegram (@YouTripSG) and subscribe to our free weekly newsletter here or down below.
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Happy long weekend!
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