Muji JB opens in Tebrau City - is it worth crossing the Causeway for?
PUBLISHED ONJune 25, 2019 5:54 AMByClara Lim
So the other day, when I was looking up the map of Muji outlets in Singapore - just, you know, a regular day for me - I saw this and nearly fell off my chair:
OMG, Muji is opening 2 new outlets in JB in 2019!
The first of the two new Muji outlets in Johor is in Aeon Mall Tebrau City (practically next to IKEA Tebrau, FYI), and its first day of operations was last Friday, 21 June 2019. (The second one opens in October.)
… Guess who took leave last Friday to go to JB?
That's right, ladies and gentlemen - I took leave to go to the new Muji JB so you don't have to. Read on to find out whether it's worthwhile for Singaporeans to make the trip.
HOW TO GET TO MUJI JB @ AEON TEBRAU CITY
You must be on the edge of your seat with anticipation already, but first, I do need to give a bit of boring but important background info:
To get to Muji JB, you first need to get to JB, duh.
After crossing immigration in JB, you'll end up at City Square, from where you will need to make your way to Aeon Mall Tebrau City, where the new Muji is. It's a fair distance of at least 20 minutes by car, but that's in good traffic conditions (which doesn't happen all the time in JB).
If you are not driving there, I would recommend taking a GrabCar. Note that price varies with demand and supply: My Grab rides cost RM14 (S$4.60) one way and RM27 another way.
Once you reach Aeon Tebrau City, you'll see the Aeon department store on your left. Take the first right turn and keep walking, and you should see the huge Muji outlet on your right.
The unit number is G106 (G = Ground floor).
PSA: SINGAPOREANS GET 10 PER CENT TOURIST DISCOUNT AT MUJI JB
Oh, I also need to add that while I was there, I noticed this discreet sign saying that tourists get 10 per cent off on clothes and household items!
You just need to flash your non-Malaysian passport. Sweet.
Note that this promotion may end at any time though, so manage your expectations and try to go ASAP.
IS MUJI JB CHEAPER THAN MUJI SINGAPORE?
So the billion dollar question is: Is Muji JB ⅓ the price of Muji Singapore?!
Unfortunately, it's not, because Muji prices are fairly controlled worldwide. Just look at any Muji price tag and you should see the prices of that item in different currencies.
That said, there are subtle price differences which might make the trip worthwhile, especially if combined with the tourist 10 per cent off. Here's a list of popular items I compared on the Muji Malaysia and Muji Singapore websites.
| Muji product | Muji JB price | Muji SG price |
| Women’s underwear | RM23.90 ($7.81) | $11.90 — now on offer $7.90 |
| Large aroma diffuser | RM369 ($120.59) | $139 |
| Japanese Cypress essential oil | RM139.90 ($45.41) | $66 |
| Travel neck cushion | RM89.90 ($29.38) | $33 |
| 104L hard suitcase | RM1,199 ($391.84) — now on offer RM539 ($176.15) | $449 |
| Stackable rattan basket L | RM159 ($51.94) | $49 |
| Beads sofa + cover | RM728 ($237.83) | $218 |
| Cotton jersey fitted sheet Q | RM199 ($65.01) | $73 |
| Shower brush | RM49.90 ($16.30) | $19.90 — now on offer $16.90 |
| Cuckoo clock | RM299 ($97.67) | $99 |
| Men’s T-shirt | RM38.90 ($12.71) | $13.90 |
| Acrylic stand w/ partition | RM49.90 ($16.30) | $19 |
| PP file box | RM24.90 ($8.13) | $11.30 |
| PP storage box W44*D55*H30cm | RM109 ($35.61) | $29 |
| Gel ink pen | RM5.30 ($1.73) | $1.30 |
| Sensitive skin moisturising milk | RM59.90 ($19.57) | $15.90 |
| Unisex cotton sneakers | RM119 ($38.88) | $43 |
| Heat proof glass mugcup | RM33.90 ($11.07) | $7.90 |
| White porcelain shallow bowl | RM27.90 ($9.11) | $7.90 |
Where there are significant (>$1) price differences, I bolded the cheaper option.
Notice that not everything in Muji JB is cheaper! There's actually quite a good distribution, so only certain items are worth buying in Malaysia.
VERDICT: WORTH VISITING FOR FRAGRANCES, HOME ORGANISATION & LUGGAGE
Looking at the Muji products that are cheaper in JB, I noticed that the best deals tend to fall in the home and travel departments.
| Muji product | Muji JB price | Muji SG price |
| Large aroma diffuser | RM369 ($120.59) | $139 |
| Japanese Cypress essential oil | RM139.90 ($45.41) | $66 |
| Travel neck cushion | RM89.90 ($29.38) | $33 |
| 104L hard suitcase | RM1,199 ($391.84) — now on offer RM539 ($176.15) | $449 |
| Cotton jersey fitted sheet Q | RM199 ($65.01) | $73 |
| Acrylic stand w/ partition | RM49.90 ($16.30) | $19 |
| PP file box | RM24.90 ($8.13) | $11.30 |
| Unisex cotton sneakers | RM119 ($38.88) | $43 |
For example, the bestselling large aroma diffuser is almost $20 cheaper in Malaysia. What's even better is that the essential oils themselves are also a lot cheaper in JB, so if you're a fragrance junkie you should definitely stock up here.
Meanwhile, the very chio but very expensive Muji luggage can be less than half the price in JB, thanks to a crazy good ongoing promotion. I checked the biggest one, 104L, and it's on offer now at less than $180 in JB, compared to $449 in Singapore.
Finally, I'd also recommend visiting the JB Muji megastore if you're looking to completely Konmari your home.
Because of the JB Muji outlet has a lot more floor space than Singapore, there are walls and walls displaying Muji storage products, so you can easily find the size you want - no need to deal with staff telling you "it's all there already". Woohoo!
Not all the storage is cheaper here, but the PP file box series and acrylic stand series are both a few dollars cheaper each than their Singapore counterparts, which means you can definitely save quite a bit if you're buying multiples.
… BUT NOT FOR CLOTHES, STATIONERY, SKINCARE OR TABLEWARE
Even with an exchange rate in our favour, it appears that many popular Muji products are actually still more expensive in JB than (or almost the same price as) in Singapore.
| Muji product | Muji JB price | Muji SG price |
| Women’s underwear | RM23.90 ($7.81) | $11.90 — now on offer $7.90 |
| Stackable rattan basket L | RM159 ($51.94) | $49 |
| Beads sofa + cover | RM728 ($237.83) | $218 |
| Shower brush | RM49.90 ($16.30) | $19.90 — now on offer $16.90 |
| Cuckoo clock | RM299 ($97.67) | $99 |
| Men’s short sleeve T-shirt | RM38.90 ($12.71) | $13.90 |
| PP storage box W44*D55*H30cm | RM109 ($35.61) | $29 |
| Gel ink pen | RM5.30 ($1.73) | $1.30 |
| Sensitive skin moisturising milk | RM59.90 ($19.57) | $15.90 |
| Heat proof glass mugcup | RM33.90 ($11.07) | $7.90 |
| White porcelain shallow bowl | RM27.90 ($9.11) | $7.90 |
The ones that are almost the same price in SG and MY are expected lah, but I was quite surprised to learn that the PP storage box series - you know, the stackable plastic drawers that everyone loves - is consistently more expensive in JB.
Muji toiletries, stationery and tableware are also quite a bit more expensive in JB than in Singapore, which is a phrase that I never thought I'd say. Yikes!
So before you go on that stationery or kitchenware shopping spree, take note. Here are the key sections to avoid:
(P.S. Malaysians living here, now you know what items to tapao from Muji Singapore…)
Goes to show that you really have to (a) do the homework before crossing the border and (b) stay on your toes while you're shopping.
FINAL NOTE: DON'T FORGET THE NEW GST RULES!
By the way, if you're going to hoot a whole bunch of stuff from Muji JB, don't forget that the government has recently tightened the GST import relief down to $100 (was originally $150):
| Time spent outside Singapore | No GST chargeable for… |
| < 48 hours | Goods up to $100 |
| 48 hours or more | Goods up to $500 |
In other words, if you're coming back from a JB day trip with more than S$100 worth of items, you can, but you have to pay GST at Singapore customs. That said, some items are still cheaper in Malaysia after factoring in GST.
Also, bear in mind this limit is calculated per person, and no one is stopping you from bringing your sister's 5 kids on your JB shopping trip. Just saying.
