Which place is cheaper, Surfers Paradise or Jakarta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Jakarta or Surfers Paradise?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Jakarta and Surfers Paradise. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Jakarta or Surfers Paradise?
Jakarta
As Indonesia's capital and largest city, Jakarta rests on the northwest coast of the island of Java. It is the country's economic, cultural, and political center with plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, nightlife, shopping, and entertainment.
Surfers Paradise
A tourist mecca, Surfers Paradise is one of the most popular travel destinations along Australia's famed Gold Coast. The beach stretches for miles and there is an endless supply of almost constant parties. You'll find high rise apartments lined up along the shore and plenty of shopping areas, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars. Travelers from around the world visit the area, and it's a right of passage for Australia's teens to vacation in or near Surfers Paradise. For many travelers, Surfers Paradise comes across as little more than a mass marketed, over commercialized, party destination, but for others it is a vacation dream. Prices are highly inflated so you have to keep your whits about you to avoid being ripped off. Surfers Paradise is a destination of extremes and it conjures up extreme emotions in many travelers, be it positive or negative.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Indonesia, The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia, The Best Contiki Tours to Australia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJakarta $64Surfers Paradise $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Jakarta is $64, while the average daily cost in Surfers Paradise is $104. 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 Jakarta and Surfers Paradise in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJakarta $33Surfers Paradise $66
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJakarta $66Surfers Paradise $132
Compare Hotels in Jakarta and Surfers Paradise
Looking for a hotel in Jakarta or Surfers Paradise? 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: Jakarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Jakarta $20Surfers Paradise $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jakarta
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jakarta are as follows:
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Taxi to Station$1.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jakarta
Also for Jakarta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Jakarta HTL-APT (CGK): $21
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Jakarta APT-HTL (CGK): $21
- Soekarno‑Hatta International Airport: Transfer to Jakarta: $29
- Private Transfer from West Jakarta to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $32
- Private Transfer from West Jakarta to Jakarta Airport (CGK): $32
- Private Transfer from Tebet to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $32
- Private Transfer from Tebet to Jakarta Airport (CGK): $32
- Private Transfer from Tanah Abang to Jakarta Airport (CGK): $32
- Private Transfer from Taman Sari to Jakarta Airport (CGK): $32
- Private Transfer from Sunter to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $32
- Private Transfer from Sunter to Jakarta Airport (CGK): $32
- Private Transfer from Sumur Batu to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surfers Paradise
Also for Surfers Paradise, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gold Coast Hot Air Balloon + Winery Breakfast + Return Transfers: $291
- Private Transfer to Brisbane/BNE Airport from Gold Coast/OOL Airport( 1-7 pax): $229
- All-Inclusive Dolphin & Tangalooma Wrecks Day Cruise (Gold Coast Transfer): $149
- Gold Coast Airport Transfers Corporate Chauffeurs Gold Coast: $119
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Airports to Surfers Paradise: $106
- Luxury Private Transfer between Gold Coast Airport and Gold Coast city (1-7pax) : $89
- Private Transfer from Gold Coast Airport - Surfers Paradise: $50
- Gold Coast Theme Parks: Shared Hotel Transfers: $14
Is it cheaper to fly into Jakarta or Surfers Paradise?
Prices for flights to both Surfers Paradise and Jakarta 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 dayJakarta $17Surfers Paradise $26
Typical Food Prices in Jakarta
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Jakarta:
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Dinner$2.73
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Dinner$0.74
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jakarta
For Jakarta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Fun Food Tour Jakarta: $30
- Mangga Besar Food Tour: $49
- Cikini Heritage Food Tour: $49
- Jakarta Night Life Tour with highlight and food tour: $54
- Jakarta Night Tour: Guided Sightseeing & Street food tour: $56
- Kota Tua Food Tour: $64
- Melawai Night Street Food Tour: $67
- 10-Tasting Private Food Tour with a Local Host: $96
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Surfers Paradise
For Surfers Paradise, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $78
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Jakarta $13Surfers Paradise $23
Tours and Activities in Jakarta
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Jakarta.
- 3 Hours Jakarta City Tour (Jakarta's Iconic Places): $45
- 4 Hours Jakarta Private City Tour - (Most Tourist Attractions): $55
- 5 Hours Jakarta Private City Tour - (Most Highlights): $65
- 6 Hours Jakarta Private City Tour - (Must Visit Places): $75
- 7 Hours Indonesia Cultural & Heritage Park Tour: $110
- 8 Hours Jakarta Private City Tour - (All Tourist Attractions): $109
- Afternoon Guided Chinatown Tour in Jakarta : $53
- Afternoon city tour Jakarta: $82
- Baduy Tribal Tracker and Village in Private Tour Full Day & Lunch: $130
- Bandung City Tour Mountain Volcano and Hotspring ( Start From Jakarta): $154
- Bandung Private Tour Mountain Volcano and Hotspring ( Overland ): $175
- Bandung Tour : Volcano, Coffee Fields, Hot Springs Water: $119
Typical Entertainment Prices in Surfers Paradise
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Surfers Paradise's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Surf Lesson$78
Tours and Activities in Surfers Paradise
For Surfers Paradise, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Evening Rainforest & Glow Worm Experience - Small Group Tour: $79
- 1.5hr Jetski Tour with island stopover - SELF DRIVE - NO LICENCE NEEDED: $185
- 2.5hrs Jetski Tour with island stopover / Self Drive / Surfers Paradise: $259
- Barefoot Luxury Mount Tamborine Winery Tour from Gold Coast: $151
- Body Massage Experience in Gold Coast : $98
- Buffet Lunch Sightseeing Cruise: $59
- Catch a Crab Tour with Optional Seafood Lunch: $53
- Glow Worms - Nocturnal Rainforest/Waterfall Adventure: $72
- Gold Coast 1.5-Hour Sightseeing River Cruise from Surfers Paradise: $30
- Gold Coast City Lights Cruise: $37
- Gold Coast Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Cruise Day Pass: $30
- Gold Coast Quack'rDuck Amphibious Tour from Surfers Paradise: $33
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJakarta $4.23Surfers Paradise $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jakarta and Surfers Paradise, we can see that Surfers Paradise is more expensive. And not only is Jakarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Jakarta is in Asia and Surfers Paradise is in Pacific, 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 Jakarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jakarta 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 Surfers Paradise would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Surfers Paradise than you might in Jakarta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Jakarta Expensive? and Is Surfers Paradise Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Jakarta or Surfers Paradise?
Jakarta has a larger population, and is about 460 times larger than the population of Surfers Paradise. When comparing the sizes of Jakarta and Surfers Paradise, 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.