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Almost every Singaporean I know has taken a day trip to Johor Bahru at least once in their lives. It’s easy to see why: it’s relatively convenient to travel to (especially if you take the train), has tons of good food, and is not too difficult to get around if you use Grab.
One of the biggest reasons, though, is that things are generally a lot more affordable across the causeway. It’s even led to some people cautioning Singaporeans against being “birds” when visiting Johor Bahru because the constant exclamations of things being “Cheap!” sound like birds chirping.
It appears that this phenomenon isn’t just limited to your average consumer either – businesses are also looking to use Johor Bahru’s shared workspaces so that they can save costs. Today’s story explores what that means for the city.
Today we look at:
- The rise of Johor Bahru’s co-working space industry
- PropertyGuru’s Q2 2024 numbers
- Other newsy highlights such as Delivery Hero preparing to list its Talabat unit and India and Singapore signing a semiconductor deal
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Migrating to Johor
Image credit: Timmy Loen
I can totally understand the appeal of working from Johor Bahru, having done it myself before. It can feel quieter and more calming compared to Singapore, and you’re always guaranteed to have a good meal during your break times. Let’s see what else is drawing workers and firms to the city.
- We have liftoff: According to Lee Sheah Liang, co-founder and CEO of co-working space operator Infinity8, the total number of co-working offices in the Greater Johor Bahru area rose to more than 60 this year, compared to fewer than five in 2017.
- Adding fuel: Collaborative projects with Singapore – such as the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System and the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone – have helped grow interest in Johor Bahru’s co-working spaces.
- More dimensions than space: Some co-working space operators also offer value-added services, which help drive demand. For example, Infinity8 offers a service for foreign companies to handle HR tasks such as recruitment and payroll.
Read more: Cost savings fuel demand for Johor Bahru’s shared workspaces
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