Singapore family spends 10% to 20% more after moving to JB, but says better lifestyle makes it worthwhile

Moving to Johor Bahru may seem like a way to escape Singapore’s high cost of living, but one family has found themselves spending even more after relocating across the border.

For Noor Sobri Mohamed Noor , 37, his family’s monthly expenses have risen by about 10 to 20 per cent since they moved to Johor in 2022.

Yet he has no regrets.

According to Berita Minggu, Sobri, who lives in Iskandar Puteri with his wife and five children, said the higher costs largely come from international school fees, which can reach RM3,000 ($940) per child .

“Financially, our expenses are a little high because of international school fees.

“But in terms of the value of life, we can live in a big house in a gated and guarded estate, which is a big difference compared to in Singapore,” he said.

From dreading life in JB to moving his own family there

Sobri did not always enjoy living in Johor. Growing up, his parents had chosen to settle in Johor Bahru, even though the family were Singaporeans.

He recalled having to wake up as early as 5am every day to travel from home to his school in Singapore.

When he turned 18 and became eligible for National Service (NS), he ‘returned’ to Singapore.

But almost two decades later, Sobri found himself moving back to the very place he once disliked, and raising a family there.

“As I grew up, I started to see Johor through a different lens,” said the founder of Lufts Barber.

He wanted his five children, aged five to 13, to enjoy a more relaxed and well-rounded education, along with a larger living space.

All five now attend an international school in Tebrau .

Sobri said his children previously struggled with the pace of Singapore’s curriculum, with his eldest son’s mathematics grades declining.

After transferring to the international school, however, his son began enjoying his lessons more and achieved excellent results without needing regular tuition.

Parents seek more holistic education for children

Nur Syafiqah Abdul Rahman , a PropNex real estate agent who moved to Johor in 2023, shared a similar experience.

Her eight-year-old daughter attends Marlborough College Malaysia, where Syafiqah has seen improvements in her studies.

“There are parents who choose international schools in Johor because they want their children to develop holistically through educational activities.

“They get to visit natural spaces, practise drama, public speaking and sports that are integrated directly into school hours, without the pressure of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE),” she explained.

National University of Singapore economist Dr Timothy Wong said education remains a key consideration for Singaporean families thinking about relocating to Johor.

“Education remains a priority for Singaporean families. Despite having to face the hassle of travelling back and forth across borders, they will not compromise on the quality of their children’s education,” he said.

More Singaporeans open to moving

As co-founder of relocation consultancy MoveToMalaysia, Syafiqah has seen an uptick in enquiries from Singaporeans considering life across the Causeway.

She now receives up to 10 enquiries a month, compared with just two to three two years ago.

A free webinar session organised by her team also attracted more than 100 participants, while an in-person event scheduled for Oct 31 has received over 300 initial registrations, with an expected turnout of up to 700 visitors.

However, Syafiqah cautioned that more enquiries do not necessarily translate into immediate relocations.

So far, she has helped about five families move to Johor, with the shortest process taking six months.

The process involves extensive financial planning, registering for schools, as well as having the proper documentation when handling immigration matters.

She advised Singaporean families to rent a home first to assess the suitability of living in Johor — including the challenges of commuting across the border — before making a commitment to purchase property there.

The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, scheduled to begin operations in February 2027, is expected to make cross-border travel more convenient.

Higher property demand and better business prospects

Although Johor offers larger homes at comparatively lower prices, demand is also driving up rents in areas popular with Singaporeans.

Syafiqah cited East Ledang and Eco Botanic as examples.

“When I first started renting a semi-detached house here, the price was around RM5,800 .

“Now the same unit can reach RM9,000 per month. In terms of the rental market alone, we have seen how high the demand is,” she said.

More business opportunities across the Causeway

Beyond housing and education, Johor is also attracting Singaporean businesses looking to expand their businesses.

Commercial property agent and MoveToMalaysia co-founder Shamir Wahid said major corporate investments could create opportunities for smaller businesses, as new companies bring in workers, suppliers and their families.

These opportunities include tuition centres, enrichment programmes, restaurants, fitness centres and professional services.

“In my opinion, one of the biggest opportunities is the ecosystem that is forming. When a large company establishes a foothold in an area, other businesses tend to spring up around it,” he explained.

For Studio Five Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rayden Yuzz, 40, expanding into Johor has been part of his company’s strategy for a decade.

The creative media company opened its first office in Johor Bahru in 2016 to tap Malaysia’s creative talent pool while benefiting from its proximity to Singapore and lower labour costs.

“For us, operating in Singapore and Johor is not just about managing costs, but leveraging the best of both cities.

“The combination of Singapore’s strategic business environment with Malaysia’s diverse creative talent gives us a unique competitive advantage, thus enabling us to offer better services to customers,” he said.

Meanwhile, 34-year-old Roslee Tay, founded the Football Code Academy (FCA) in Iskandar Puteri in January 2026 after identifying demand for structured football training for children.

The academy has since served more than 90 families, with players representing over 14 nationalities, including Singapore.

Roslee said Johor’s proximity to Singapore allowed the academy to attract families from both countries while taking advantage of training facilities and more flexible schedules.

“For us, Johor is not just a cheaper alternative to Singapore. We see it as a market with its own potential and identity, where we can build FCA for the long term,” he said.

Shamir believes the two cities can complement each other rather than compete.

Singapore, he said, remains attractive for headquarters, finance and other high-value business functions, while Johor offers more space, a different cost structure and access to Malaysia’s workforce.

Shamir feels that with more large investments entering Johor, opportunities for SMEs in both cities will become increasingly attractive.

“Big companies may make up the first wave,” he said.

“Businesses that provide services to their employees, families, suppliers and communities may be next.”

This article was first published in Stomp . Permission required for reproduction.

搬到新山似乎是逃离新加坡高昂生活成本的一种方式，但有一个家庭发现，搬到边境另一侧后，他们的花费反而更多了。

对于 37 岁的 Noor Sobri Mohamed Noor 来说，自从 2022 年他们搬到柔佛州以来，他们家的月支出增加了约 10% 到 20%。

但他并不后悔。

据《Berita Minggu》报道，与妻子和五个孩子住在依斯干达公主城的索布里表示，较高的费用主要来自国际学校的学费，每个孩子的学费可达 3000 令吉（940 美元）。

“由于国际学校的学费，我们的经济开支有点高。”

“但就生命的价值而言，我们可以住在有门禁和保安的小区里的大房子里，这与新加坡的情况有很大的不同，”他说。

从最初惧怕新山的生活，到最终举家迁往那里。

索布里并非一直都喜欢在柔佛生活。在他成长过程中，尽管他的父母是新加坡人，但他们还是选择在柔佛新山定居。

他回忆说，在新加坡，他每天早上5点就得起床，从家到学校。

当他年满 18 岁并符合服兵役条件时，他“返回”了新加坡。

但将近二十年后，索布里发现自己又搬回了他曾经讨厌的地方，并在那里组建了家庭。

“随着我长大，我开始用不同的眼光看待柔佛，” Lufts Barber 的创始人说道。

他希望他的五个孩子（年龄在 5 岁到 13 岁之间）能够享受更轻松、更全面的教育，以及更大的生活空间。

他们五个现在都在地不佬的一所国际学校就读。

索布里表示，他的孩子们以前很难适应新加坡的课程进度，他大儿子的数学成绩甚至有所下降。

然而，转学到国际学校后，他的儿子开始更喜欢上课，并且无需定期补习就取得了优异的成绩。

家长们希望孩子接受更全面的教育。

PropNex 房地产经纪人 Nur Syafiqah Abdul Rahman 于 2023 年搬到柔佛州，她也有类似的经历。

她八岁的女儿就读于马来西亚马尔堡学院，Syafiqah 发现女儿的学习成绩有所提高。

“有些家长选择柔佛州的国际学校，是因为他们希望自己的孩子通过教育活动得到全面发展。

她解释说：“他们可以参观自然空间，练习戏剧、公开演讲和体育运动，这些活动都直接融入到学校的课时中，而不用承受小学毕业考试（PSLE）的压力。”

新加坡国立大学经济学家黄添福博士表示，对于考虑移居柔佛州的新加坡家庭来说，教育仍然是一个重要的考虑因素。

“教育仍然是新加坡家庭的首要任务。尽管要面对跨境旅行的种种不便，他们也不会在子女的教育质量上妥协，”他说。

更多新加坡人愿意搬家

作为搬迁咨询公司 MoveToMalaysia 的联合创始人，Syafiqah 发现，越来越多的新加坡人开始考虑移居马来西亚。

她现在每月收到多达 10 个咨询，而两年前只有两到三个。

她的团队组织的免费网络研讨会也吸引了 100 多名参与者，而定于 10 月 31 日举行的现场活动已收到 300 多个初始注册，预计将有 700 名访客参加。

然而，Syafiqah 提醒说，咨询量增加并不一定意味着会立即发生搬迁。

到目前为止，她已经帮助大约五个家庭搬到柔佛州，最短的搬迁过程也用了六个月。

该过程涉及广泛的财务规划、学校注册，以及在处理移民事宜时拥有适当的文件。

她建议新加坡家庭先在柔佛租房居住，评估一下是否适合在那里生活——包括跨境通勤的挑战——然后再决定是否在那里购置房产。

新山-新加坡快速交通系统（RTS）连接线预计将于2027年2月开始运营，届时将使跨境旅行更加便捷。

更高的房地产需求和更好的商业前景

虽然柔佛州的房屋面积更大，价格也相对较低，但对新加坡人来说，热门地区的租金需求也在上涨。

Syafiqah 以 East Ledang 和 Eco Botanic 为例。

“我刚开始在这里租半独立式住宅时，价格大约是 5800 马币。

“现在同样的房子月租金可以达到9000令吉。单就租赁市场而言，我们已经看到了需求有多么旺盛，”她说。

堤道对面有更多商机

除了住房和教育，柔佛州也吸引着希望拓展业务的新加坡企业。

商业地产经纪人兼 MoveToMalaysia 联合创始人 Shamir Wahid 表示，大型企业投资可能会为小型企业创造机会，因为新公司会带来工人、供应商及其家人。

这些机会包括辅导中心、素质教育项目、餐厅、健身中心和专业服务。

他解释说：“在我看来，最大的机遇之一是正在形成的生态系统。当一家大型公司在一个地区站稳脚跟时，其他企业往往会在其周围涌现。”

对于 Studio Five 集团首席执行官 (CEO) Rayden Yuzz（40 岁）来说，进军柔佛州一直是其公司十年来战略的一部分。

这家创意媒体公司于 2016 年在柔佛州新山开设了第一家办事处，旨在利用马来西亚的创意人才资源，同时受益于其靠近新加坡的地理优势和较低的劳动力成本。

“对我们来说，在新加坡和柔佛开展业务不仅仅是控制成本，而是要充分利用这两个城市的优势。

他说：“新加坡的战略商业环境与马来西亚多元化的创意人才相结合，赋予了我们独特的竞争优势，从而使我们能够为客户提供更好的服务。”

与此同时，34 岁的 Roslee Tay 在发现儿童对结构化足球训练的需求后，于 2026 年 1 月在依斯干达公主城创办了足球准则学院 (FCA)。

该学院至今已为 90 多个家庭提供服务，学员来自 14 个以上的国家，其中包括新加坡。

罗斯利表示，柔佛州靠近新加坡，这使得该学院能够吸引来自两国的家庭，同时还能利用两国的训练设施和更灵活的课程安排。

“对我们来说，柔佛不仅仅是新加坡的廉价替代选择。我们认为它是一个拥有自身潜力和特色的市场，我们可以在这里长期发展FCA，”他说道。

沙米尔认为，这两个城市可以互补，而不是竞争。

他表示，新加坡对于总部、金融和其他高价值业务职能仍然具有吸引力，而柔佛州则提供了更大的空间、不同的成本结构以及接触马来西亚劳动力的机会。

沙米尔认为，随着更多大型投资进入柔佛州，这两个城市的中小企业发展机会将变得越来越有吸引力。

他说：“大公司可能会成为第一批冲击者。”

“那些为员工、家属、供应商和社区提供服务的企业，可能也会面临同样的境地。”

本文最初发表于 Stomp 网站。转载需获得许可。