Which place is cheaper, Surabaya or Petra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Petra 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 Petra and Surabaya can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Petra or Surabaya?
Petra
Whether you're checking off the Seven Wonders of the World, or you're just a huge Indiana Jones fan, the city of Petra must be on your bucket list. The "rose red city, half as old as time," was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom in the 6th century BC. It was the center for trade and commerce until an earthquake took out buildings and destroyed their water management system. After this destruction, the city of Petra seemed to be lost to western civilization.
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 Historical Tours in Jordan, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Jordan, 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 dayPetra $125Surabaya $63
The average daily cost (per person) in Petra is $125, 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 Petra and Surabaya in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPetra $59Surabaya $37
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPetra $118Surabaya $74
Compare Hotels in Petra and Surabaya
Looking for a hotel in Petra 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: Petra Hotel Prices and Surabaya Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Petra $23Surabaya $2.76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Petra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Petra:
- Petra Private Transfer to or from Aqaba: $105
- Petra to Aqaba South Beach Hotels Private Transfer: $110
- Petra to Madaba Private Transfer: $140
- Petra to Sheikh Hussein Crossing Border Private Transfer: $180
- Petra to Wadi Rum Private Transfer: $80
- Private Departure Transfer: Petra Hotels to Amman Airport: $93
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Ma'in Hotel and vice versa: $73
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Petra or vice versa via the King's Highway: $120
- Private Transfer From Petra to Amman or Airport With Optional : $99
- Private Transfer Petra to/from Wadi Rum: $135
- Private Transfer from Petra City Hotels to Aqaba Airport: $93
- Private transfer Petra to/from Wadi Rum: $118
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 Petra or Surabaya?
Prices for flights to both Surabaya and Petra 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 dayPetra $38Surabaya $22
Typical Food Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of dining costs in Petra are as follows:
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Dinner for Two$12
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Juice$1.76
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Petra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Petra.
- Cooking outside in little Petra between the Mountains. : $45
- Private Outdoor bedouin Dinner in Petra: $300
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Petra $47Surabaya $4.74
Typical Entertainment Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Petra are as follows:
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Entry to Petra for One$71
Tours and Activities in Petra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Petra are as follows:
- 3-hour Private Guided Tour In Petra with hotel pick up.: $75
- Private Indiana-Jones Archeological Trail Tour: $90
- Private Half-Day Tour of Petra with Lunch: $120
- Wadi Rum Day Tour from Petra ending in Aqaba: $138
- Private Petra Back Entrance Tour with Guide .: $140
- 3 Hour Horse Riding Adventure around the Petra Area: $145
- Wadi Rum Private Tour from Petra with Martian and Star Wars Film Site: $173
- Petra Back Entrance Private Walking Tour: $215
- Private Full-Day Tour to Petra and Wadi Rum from Dead Sea: $269
- Private Back Trail Tour of Petra starting from the Monastery : $276
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 dayPetra $15Surabaya -
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Petra and Surabaya, we can see that Petra is more expensive. And not only is Surabaya much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Petra 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 Petra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Petra 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 Petra Expensive? and Is Surabaya Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Petra or Surabaya?
Surabaya has a larger population, and is about 170 times larger than the population of Petra. When comparing the sizes of Petra 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.