diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/CostBasedJoinReorder.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/CostBasedJoinReorder.scala
index f92d8f5b8e534..93c608dc71a24 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/CostBasedJoinReorder.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/CostBasedJoinReorder.scala
@@ -344,14 +344,11 @@ object JoinReorderDP extends PredicateHelper with Logging {
     }
 
     def betterThan(other: JoinPlan, conf: SQLConf): Boolean = {
-      if (other.planCost.card == 0 || other.planCost.size == 0) {
-        false
-      } else {
-        val relativeRows = BigDecimal(this.planCost.card) / BigDecimal(other.planCost.card)
-        val relativeSize = BigDecimal(this.planCost.size) / BigDecimal(other.planCost.size)
-        relativeRows * conf.joinReorderCardWeight +
-          relativeSize * (1 - conf.joinReorderCardWeight) < 1
-      }
+      val thisCost = BigDecimal(this.planCost.card) * conf.joinReorderCardWeight +
+        BigDecimal(this.planCost.size) * (1 - conf.joinReorderCardWeight)
+      val otherCost = BigDecimal(other.planCost.card) * conf.joinReorderCardWeight +
+        BigDecimal(other.planCost.size) * (1 - conf.joinReorderCardWeight)
+      thisCost < otherCost
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/JoinReorderSuite.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/JoinReorderSuite.scala
index 36db2e2dd0ae2..75fe3dd4062a7 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/JoinReorderSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/JoinReorderSuite.scala
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ package org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.optimizer
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.dsl.expressions._
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.dsl.plans._
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.expressions.{Attribute, AttributeMap}
+import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.optimizer.JoinReorderDP.JoinPlan
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.plans.{Cross, Inner, PlanTest}
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.plans.logical.{ColumnStat, LocalRelation, LogicalPlan}
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.rules.RuleExecutor
@@ -385,4 +386,18 @@ class JoinReorderSuite extends PlanTest with StatsEstimationTestBase {
   private def outputsOf(plans: LogicalPlan*): Seq[Attribute] = {
     plans.map(_.output).reduce(_ ++ _)
   }
+
+  test("SPARK-33935: betterThan should be consistent") {
+    val plan1 = JoinPlan(null, null, null, Cost(300, 80))
+    val plan2 = JoinPlan(null, null, null, Cost(500, 30))
+
+    // cost1 = 300*0.7 + 80*0.3 = 234
+    // cost2 = 500*0.7 + 30*0.3 = 359
+
+    assert(!plan1.betterThan(plan1, conf))
+    assert(!plan2.betterThan(plan2, conf))
+
+    assert(plan1.betterThan(plan2, conf))
+    assert(!plan2.betterThan(plan1, conf))
+  }
 }
diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/StarJoinCostBasedReorderSuite.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/StarJoinCostBasedReorderSuite.scala
index 5b8e59ae7cb31..b7cf383732923 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/StarJoinCostBasedReorderSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/StarJoinCostBasedReorderSuite.scala
@@ -293,12 +293,12 @@ class StarJoinCostBasedReorderSuite extends PlanTest with StatsEstimationTestBas
           (nameToAttr("f1_fk2") === nameToAttr("d2_pk")))
 
     val expected =
-      f1.join(d2, Inner, Some(nameToAttr("f1_fk2") === nameToAttr("d2_pk")))
-        .join(d1, Inner, Some(nameToAttr("f1_fk1") === nameToAttr("d1_pk")))
-        .join(t3.join(t4, Inner, Some(nameToAttr("t3_c1") === nameToAttr("t4_c1"))), Inner,
-          Some(nameToAttr("t3_c1") === nameToAttr("t4_c1")))
+      t3.join(t4, Inner, Some(nameToAttr("t3_c1") === nameToAttr("t4_c1")))
         .join(t1.join(t2, Inner, Some(nameToAttr("t1_c1") === nameToAttr("t2_c1"))), Inner,
           Some(nameToAttr("t1_c2") === nameToAttr("t4_c2")))
+        .join(f1
+          .join(d2, Inner, Some(nameToAttr("f1_fk2") === nameToAttr("d2_pk")))
+          .join(d1, Inner, Some(nameToAttr("f1_fk1") === nameToAttr("d1_pk"))))
         .select(outputsOf(d1, t1, t2, t3, t4, f1, d2): _*)
 
     assertEqualPlans(query, expected)