Which place is cheaper, Surabaya or Abu Dhabi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Abu Dhabi or Surabaya?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Abu Dhabi and Surabaya can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Abu Dhabi or Surabaya?
Abu Dhabi
It doesn't get more "lifestyles of the rich and famous" than a vacation to Abu Dhabi. The federal capital and center of government for the United Arab Emirates is arguably the most modern city in the world.
Abu Dhabi has a population of 1.5 million and provides a home to several oil companies and embassies, but this place is definitely a playground for the world's fanciest tourists. This city has several large projects underway including Yas Island's Formula 1 track and Ferrari theme park.
Note: homosexuality is still outlawed in the UAE with harsh punishments including deportation, fines, jail time or even a death sentence.
Surabaya
Surabaya, also known as the "city of heroes," is the capital of East Java and the second largest city in Indonesia, following Jakarta. While it doesn't highlight as many typical tourist monuments as other cities, Surabaya serves as a takeoff point or a landing base for travelers visiting Mount Bromo and Bali.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United Arab Emirates, The Best 3-Day Tours in United Arab Emirates, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Indonesia, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Indonesia.
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Abu Dhabi Prices
UAE PricesSurabaya Prices
Indonesia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAbu Dhabi $197Surabaya $71
The average daily cost (per person) in Abu Dhabi is $197, while the average daily cost in Surabaya is $71. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Abu Dhabi and Surabaya in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAbu Dhabi $98Surabaya $33
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAbu Dhabi $196Surabaya $66
Compare Hotels in Abu Dhabi and Surabaya
Looking for a hotel in Abu Dhabi or Surabaya? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Abu Dhabi Hotel Prices and Surabaya Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Abu Dhabi $20Surabaya $2.48
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Abu Dhabi
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Abu Dhabi are as follows:
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Car Rental$31
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Taxi to Airport$14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Abu Dhabi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Abu Dhabi:
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) Private Transfer to Abu Dhabi City/Hotels: $58
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Abu Dhabi - Arrival Private Transfer: $33
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Abu Dhabi - Arrival Private Transfer: $36
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Abu Dhabi - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $73
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Dubai hotel - Arrival Private Transfer: $141
- Abu Dhabi Airport Private Departure Transfer: $30
- Abu Dhabi Airport Transfer To or From Anywhere within Abu Dhabi: $70
- Abu Dhabi Airport Transfer to Hotel or Vice Versa: $67
- Abu Dhabi Airport Transfers : Abu Dhabi City to Airport AUH in Luxury Van: $102
- Abu Dhabi Airport Transfers : Airport AUH to Abu Dhabi City by Luxury Van: $102
- Abu Dhabi City Tour: Modern & Cultural Highlights with Transfers: $108
- Abu Dhabi Combo Ticket: Ferrari World and Yas Waterworld with transfers: $195
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surabaya
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Surabaya:
- Private Airport Transfer Surabaya: $22
- Private Transfer from Kota Surabaya to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $33
- Private Transfer from Surabaya City to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $33
- Private Transfer from Waru to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $33
- Private Transfer from Sepanjang to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $33
- Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Sedati: $33
- Private Transfer from Pondok Chandra to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $33
- Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Pondok Chandra: $33
- Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Pabean: $33
- Private Transfer from Semampir to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $33
- Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Semampir: $33
- Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to RW 12: $33
Is it cheaper to fly into Abu Dhabi or Surabaya?
Prices for flights to both Surabaya and Abu Dhabi change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAbu Dhabi $78Surabaya $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Abu Dhabi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Abu Dhabi.
- Red Dunes 4x4 Pick Drop Abu Dhabi Desert Safari with Dinner: $28
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari with Red Dunes 4x4 Pick Drop Dinner Shows: $39
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari With Live Shows & BBQ Buffet Dinner: $50
- Desert Safari In Abu Dhabi With BBQ Dinner: $58
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner & Live Shows: $60
- Lunch Or Dinner at Emirates Palace - Ultimate Luxury Experience: $64
- Evening Desert Safari Abu Dhabi with Hot BBQ Dinner: $65
- Evening Desert Safari Camel Ride Dinner Live Shows in Abu Dhabi: $69
- Desert Safari, Camel Ride, Live Shows, and BBQ Dinner: $69
- Abu Dhabi Evening Desert Safari: BBQ Dinner, Camel Ride & Shows: $71
- Evening Desert Safari Abu Dhabi with BBQ Dinner: $71
- Abu Dhabi 4x4 Desert Safari BBQ Dinner , Camel Ride , Belly Dance: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Abu Dhabi $39Surabaya $4.26
Tours and Activities in Abu Dhabi
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Abu Dhabi are as follows:
- Admission Ticket to Qasr Al Watan Abu Dhabi Non prime: $15
- Qasr al Hosn Entrance Ticket: $16
- Qasr Al Watan Entry Tickets: $16
- Skip the Line Ticket to Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi: $17
- Louvre Abu Dhabi Ticket: $18
- Qasr Al Watan Ticket Pass in Abu Dhabi’s Presidential Palace: $19
- Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi Admission Ticket: $21
- Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi Admission Ticket: $22
- Abu Dhabi Louvre Museum Entry Ticket with Optional Transportation: $23
- Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi Ticket: $24
- Qasr Al Watan Abu Dhabi Entry Ticket: $24
- Admission Ticket to Zayed National Museum Abu Dhabi: $25
Tours and Activities in Surabaya
Here are a few actual costs in Surabaya for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Mount Bromo Sunrise Join-in Tour from Malang: $23
- From Mount Bromo Sunrise Guided Group Tour: $43
- Mount Bromo Sunrise Shared Guided Tour from Surabaya: $63
- Mount Bromo Shared Sunrise Tour 1 day from Surabaya (sharing): $64
- Surabaya Half Day Private Tour: $65
- From Malang: Tumpak Sewu Waterfall Private Tour: $68
- Private Day Tour Surabaya Historiculture: $68
- 1 Day Madura Island Private Tour from Surabaya: $70
- Day Tour - Surabaya Heritage Colonial Tour: $73
- Day Tour Tumpak Sewu Waterfalls: $73
- Half-Day Private Majapahit Historical Tour from Surabaya: $74
- From Surabaya 1 Day Mount Bromo Sunrise Tour: $77
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAbu Dhabi $13Surabaya -
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Abu Dhabi and Surabaya, we can see that Abu Dhabi is more expensive. And not only is Surabaya much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Abu Dhabi is in Middle East and Surabaya is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Surabaya would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Surabaya and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Abu Dhabi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Abu Dhabi than you might in Surabaya.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Abu Dhabi Expensive? and Is Surabaya Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Abu Dhabi or Surabaya?
Surabaya has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Abu Dhabi. When comparing the sizes of Abu Dhabi and Surabaya, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.