What To Buy In JB: 10 Personal Care & Other Products That Are Cheaper Than SG

Let's be honest, living in Singapore can be tough on the wallet and prices are ever-increasing. Enter Johor Bahru (JB), our Malaysian neighbour, beckoning with its lower prices and wider variety of goods. But what exactly can you buy in JB to stretch your dollar?

As an avid fan of going across the Causeway, here are my top favourite personal care items to snag that are cheaper compared to Singapore. 

Fun unconfirmed fact: Not everything is cheaper in JB. From my past trips, I realised that it may be cheaper to buy deodorant (S$1~) and toothpaste (S$1~) at Valu$ in Singapore.

1. Contact lenses

Seeing clearly shouldn't cost an arm and a leg.

In Singapore, glasses can easily set you back S$100 or more. Contact lenses aren't exactly budget-friendly either, with a box of six monthly lenses from Owndays costing S$30.

On my last trip to JB, I scored a box of six monthly contact lenses at MOG Eyewear for just RM65 (which is roughly S$20). But even if you’re someone who prefers contact lenses from a brand name, it’s still cheaper to get it from JB. 

For example: 

1-Day Acuvue Moist

Price in Singapore: S$61 for a box of 30 daily lenses

Price in Malaysia: RM120 (approx. S$34~) for a box of 30 daily lenses 

There’s even free shipping to Singapore with a minimum spend of RM500 (S$141~).

2. Sanitary pads 

While it's not something we wish for, the reality is that we need pads and other feminine hygiene products every month. Save on your monthly essentials by stocking up on feminine hygiene products in JB as it is really cheaper there. 

Here are some examples:

3. Pimple/Acne patches

Feeling the wrath of pimples? The popular 3M Nexcare Acne Patch is another steal in JB.  Now we can all stock up and conquer those breakouts without breaking the bank.

Price in Singapore: $8.20 for 36 acne patches 

Price in Malaysia: RM12.70 (approx. S$3.60) for 36 acne patches 

4. Baby clothes/baby gift sets

Tiny humans grow at lightning speed. Adorable baby clothes often get worn just a handful of times before they're too small. This can leave a dent in your wallet, especially with brand-name favourites like Mothercare.

But what if I told you that you could snag those same adorable outfits at a fraction of the price? 

Here's the exciting secret: JB's Mothercare stores offer the same high-quality baby clothes and gift sets as Singapore, but at significantly lower prices.

Case in point: Not Too Big Unicorn 6-Piece Gift Set

Price in Singapore: S$69.90

Price in Malaysia: RM176 (approx. S$49.84)

5. Stationery 

When you have kids, there is no such thing as too many pens, pencils, correction tapes and exercise books. Get them all in JB, so it doesn’t hurt so much when they lose their brand-new pens in school or break them by accident. 

Something you can consider getting are colour pencils, which cost RM18.90 (approx. S$5.35) for a pack of 48 Staedtler Luna Colour Pencils at Malaysia’s Popular, compared to S$10 for 2 packs of 24 colour pencils from the same brand in Singapore. 

Bonus if you’re a Popular member in JB — you’ll get it at RM15.90 (S$4.50)

Meanwhile in Singapore:

6. Dry and wet tissues 

Who (especially mums) doesn't go through mountains of tissues? The good news is, both dry and wet tissues are consistently cheaper in JB. While it’s not a ton of savings, you might as well stock up since you’re already there.

You can check out the price of tissues here (Singapore) and here (Malaysia).

Fun fact: Malaysia’s Guardian/Watsons sometimes have sales on house brand tissues that go unadvertised. These sales products are usually located in big bins along the queue towards the cashier. I managed to snag three packets of wet tissue from Guardian for just RM3 (S$0.85) the previous time I was there. That’s less than 30 cents per pack! 

7. Skincare

If you’re on a hunt for a cheap moisturiser that does the job, look no further than brands such as Aiken and Wardah. I don’t seem to find these brands in Singapore’s Guardian and Watsons and they’re much cheaper in JB so there's no harm in trying them out if you’re on a budget. 

They have an entire range of skincare and make-up, and I’ve personally bought some to try myself. My TL;DR review? I have not broken out from any of these products. Really not bad at all. 

For those who prefer to stick to bigger brand names, you'll be glad to know that the L'Oreal Paris Glycolic Bright Serum (30ml) is also significantly cheaper in JB. 

Price in Singapore: S$62

Price in Malaysia: RM53.94 (S$15.27)

8. Condoms 

Condoms are another item that can be significantly cheaper across the causeway. Condoms in Singapore can cost upwards of S$12 - S$30+ for a box of 10 to 12 condoms. 

The "ONE" brand in JB (which I haven't seen in Singapore drugstores) offers a pack of 12 for just RM26.91 (S$6.50) at Malaysia’s Guardian, making safe intimacy more accessible.

9. Makeup remover

Biore's ever-popular cleansing oil makeup remover is another JB steal. Stock up on this makeup remover and keep your face squeaky clean without the heftier price tag you'd find in Singapore.

Price in Singapore: S$16.20

Price in Malaysia: RM14.58 (approx. S$4.13)

10. Shampoo and conditioner 

Tell me why, again, are shampoos and conditioners so expensive? Moist Diane's Extra Fresh & Hydrate Shampoo offers excellent value for money in JB compared to Singapore.

Price in Singapore: S$17.90

Price in Malaysia: RM29.61 (approx. S$8.38)

Note: Prices and currency conversion are accurate at the time of writing.