Which place is cheaper, Surabaya or Da Nang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Da Nang or Surabaya?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Da Nang or Surabaya? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Da Nang or Surabaya?
Da Nang
Halfway between Ho Chi Minh City in the south and Hanoi in the North is the easy-going beach city of Da Nang (or Danang, for some). The third most populated city in Vietnam, Da Nang draws in crowds with its beautiful and calm beaches as well as its history as a French colonial port.
With beaches, mountains, and cityscape, there's bound to be a point of interest for all travelers. Da Nang is also a transit hub to get to the four Vietnamese UNESCO World heritage sites: Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Hue, Hoi An, and My Son.
Da Nang experiences wet season from September through March and dry season from April through August with average temperatures of around 80℉.
Da Nang is also known to have some of the friendliest locals, probably due to the peace and quiet and lack of heavy traffic, even in the city.
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 Adventure Tours to Vietnam, The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Indonesia, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Indonesia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDa Nang $46Surabaya $63
The average daily cost (per person) in Da Nang is $46, while the average daily cost in Surabaya is $63. 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 Da Nang and Surabaya in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDa Nang $19Surabaya $37
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDa Nang $38Surabaya $74
Compare Hotels in Da Nang and Surabaya
Looking for a hotel in Da Nang 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: Da Nang Hotel Prices and Surabaya Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Da Nang $11Surabaya $2.76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Da Nang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Da Nang:
- Private Transfer to Ba Na Hills - Golden Bridge & Hoi An City : $78
- Afternoon private transfer from Da Nang city to Golden Bridge in the theme park: $44
- Airport Transfer: Da Nang Airport and Hoi An City: $15
- Airport pick up and transfer from Danang airport to Hoian: $29
- Asia Park - Sun World Da Nang Wonders Theme Park Ticket With Round Trip Transfer: $26
- Ba Na Hills Golden Bridge Private Car Transfer from Da Nang: $38
- Charter Limousine DCar RoundTrip Transfer Da Nang Hoi An Hue : $219
- DA NANG AIRPORT To Da Nang Hotel by PRIVATE TRANSFER: $10
- Da Nang Airport Arrival Or Departure Luxury Car Transfers: $11
- Da Nang Airport Arrival Or Departure Luxury Car Transfers: $7.39
- Da Nang Airport Arrival Private Transfer: $25
- Da Nang Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surabaya
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Surabaya:
- Private Transfer International Jendaral Ahmad (SRG) to City Semarang: $13
- Private Transfer International Jendaral Ahmad (SRG) to City centre Seamarang: $13
- Private airport transfer surabaya: $21
- Private 1-Way Transfer to/from SUB Airport: $27
- Airport Private Transfers to Your Destinatination: $27
- From Juanda International Airport: Transfer to Surabaya: $30
- Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Pabean: $32
- Private Transfer from Surabaya City to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $32
- Private Transfer from Taman to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $32
- Private Transfer from Waru to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $32
- Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Waru: $32
- Private Transfer from Sepanjang to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Da Nang or Surabaya?
Prices for flights to both Surabaya and Da Nang 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 dayDa Nang $16Surabaya $22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Da Nang
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Da Nang.
- Dragon bridge show and Da Nang local food tour: $4.10
- Home Cooking Class: $22
- Vegetarian Cooking class and Basket Boat Riding: $25
- Happy Cooking Class in Danang : $26
- Cooking Class and tasting Pho with Local Girl: $29
- Vegetarian Home Cooking Class Da Nang: $29
- Eco Cooking Class and Basket boat tour from Da Nang city: $29
- Da Nang Home Cooking Class: $29
- Da Nang Street Walking Food Tour : $29
- Basket Boat Riding and Cooking Class from Da Nang City : $29
- Da Nang Vegetarian Cooking Class: $29
- Making Lantern & Basket Boat & Happy Cooking Class: $30
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Da Nang $13Surabaya $4.74
Tours and Activities in Da Nang
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Da Nang are as follows:
- The private tour to Golden Bridge and Marble mountain: $2.05
- Vietnamese Tradition Combo Ao dai Coffee and Banh mi Private Tour: $2.83
- From Monkey Mountain Hidden Gems Full-Day Tour: $4.10
- Local Food Private Walking Tour: $4.10
- Han River by night on boat cruise in Da Nang: $5.50
- Han River Cruise & Cham Dancing by Phu Quy Cruise: $6.15
- Scenic Han River Night Cruise On My Xuan Cruise.: $6.15
- Han River Local Cruise by Night: $6.15
- Super cheap and distinguished Ao Dai Experience in 2 hours - Ao dai retal: $6.16
- Han River Cruise Evening Ticket in Danang City: $7.50
- Da Nang Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Da Nang Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.78
Tours and Activities in Surabaya
Here are a few actual costs in Surabaya for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bromo Sunrise Sharing Tour start Malang - Everyday: $51
- Bromo One Day Sharing Tour (Start MALANG): $52
- Mount Bromo Sunrise Tour from Surabaya & Malang - Depart Midnight: $52
- surabaya port : city tour surabaya, pick up drop off at port: $58
- Half-Day Private Majapahit Historical Tour from Surabaya: $66
- Private Day Tour Surabaya Historiculture : $68
- Surabaya Historiculture Private Day Tour: $70
- Day Tour - Surabaya Heritage Colonial Tour: $73
- From Surabaya Port: Cultural and Historical Guided City Tour: $77
- Probolinggo City Tour For Cruise Passengers: $78
- Bromo Tour Package: Midnight Bromo Open Trip from Batu: $79
- Taman Safari Private Tour and PutukTruno Waterfall: $79
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDa Nang $9.39Surabaya -
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Da Nang and Surabaya, we can see that Surabaya is more expensive. And not only is Da Nang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Da Nang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Da Nang 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 Surabaya would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Surabaya than you might in Da Nang.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Da Nang Expensive? and Is Surabaya Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Da Nang or Surabaya?
Surabaya has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Da Nang. When comparing the sizes of Da Nang 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.