Which place is cheaper, Surabaya or Phuket?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Phuket or Surabaya?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Phuket or Surabaya, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Phuket or Surabaya?
Phuket
Phuket Island is the tourist mecca of southern Thailand. Known for its beaches and resorts, the island brings in a massive amount of travelers from all over the world, year round. Although the beaches are beautiful, Phuket has also become more westernized and tourist-oriented in recent decades, leaving many travelers to venture elsewhere to find that amazing beach with a more authentic Thai vibe. However, Phuket Island is quite large, and hidden gems can still be found.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours in Thailand, 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 dayPhuket $105Surabaya $63
The average daily cost (per person) in Phuket is $105, 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 Phuket and Surabaya in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhuket $56Surabaya $37
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhuket $112Surabaya $74
Compare Hotels in Phuket and Surabaya
Looking for a hotel in Phuket 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: Phuket Hotel Prices and Surabaya Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phuket $11Surabaya $2.76
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Phuket
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Phuket:
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Longtail Taxi (for Two)$8.18
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Taxi from Airport to Phuket Town$6.82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phuket
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phuket:
- Ziplines 28 platforms with Free Transfer RoundTrips: $70
- ATV Bike 1 hr + ziplines 30 platforms with Roundtrip Transfer : $139
- ATV Bike 1 hr+ Skyline Adventure 28 platforms with free Transfer: $116
- Airport Private Departure Transfers from Phuket: $45
- Arrival Phuket Airport Private Transfer : Hotel in Phuket: $37
- Arrival Transfer Phuket Airport HKT to Talang, Kathu or Muang: $21
- Departure Private Airport Transfer : Phuket Hotel to Phuket Airport: $37
- Departure Private Transfers from Phuket City to Phuket Airport HKT: $93
- Departure Transfer : Phuket Hotel to Phuket Airport (Private): $17
- Flying Hanuman Ziplines 42 platforms With Lunch & Transfer RoundTrips: $108
- Flying Hanuman Ziplining Experience in Phuket with Return Transfer: $149
- From Krabi: Phuket Transfer with Phi Phi Longtail Boat Tour: $362
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surabaya
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Surabaya:
- From Juanda International Airport: Transfer to Surabaya: $30
- One Way Private Transfer: Juanda International Airport Transfer to/from Surabaya: $34
- Private Transfer International Jendaral Ahmad (SRG) to City Semarang: $13
- Private Transfer International Jendaral Ahmad (SRG) to City centre Seamarang: $13
- Private Transfer from Bangkalan to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $134
- Private Transfer from Batu to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $168
- Private Transfer from Bungurasih to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $32
- Private Transfer from Delta sari to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $32
- Private Transfer from Gempol to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $50
- Private Transfer from Gendangan to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $32
- Private Transfer from Gresik to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $93
- Private Transfer from Kota Surabaya to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Phuket or Surabaya?
Prices for flights to both Surabaya and Phuket 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 dayPhuket $22Surabaya $22
Typical Food Prices in Phuket
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Phuket:
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Casual Dinner (for Two)$7.88
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$4.64
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Sit Down Dinner (for Two)$12
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Thai Noodles$2.45
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Bananas$0.68
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Pizza (for Two)$8.18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Phuket
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Phuket.
- Thai Cooking Class 1.5 Hrs ( 2 Dishes Menu): $36
- Express Thai Cooking Class in Phuket: $43
- Coral Island Catamaran Cruise with Sunset Dinner: $43
- Vegetarian Organic Thai Cooking Class and Market Tour in Phuket: $52
- Flavours of the South Guided Food Tour: $52
- Coral Island & Sunset Dinner by Sailing Catamaran: $53
- Phuket Coral Island Sunset with Dinner by Catamaran Yacht: $53
- Thai Cooking Class in Phuket: $55
- Phuket Cooking Class Thai activity: $55
- Thai Cooking Class in Phuket: $55
- Phuket Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour Option: $55
- Organic Thai Cooking Class and Market Tour in Phuket: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phuket $42Surabaya $4.74
Typical Entertainment Prices in Phuket
Here are a few typical costs in Phuket for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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One Day Boat Tour$25
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Scuba Diving (Two Dives)$68
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Thai Oil Massage$17
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Surfboard Rental$8.18
Tours and Activities in Phuket
Here are a few actual costs in Phuket for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Phuket Botanic Garden Admission Ticket: $3.01
- The Selfie Experience Phuket Admission Ticket: $4.14
- Phuket Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Phuket to Phi Phi Tonsai Ferry by Royal Jet Cruiser with Pickup Service: $13
- Trick Eye Museum Admission Ticket: $14
- Phang Nga Bay Skywalk at Samet Nangshe Admission Ticket: $14
- Phuket Trickeye Museum Day Admission Ticket: $15
- Baan Teelanka Upside Down House Entry Ticket: $16
- Original Discovery Tour: $17
- Old Phuket Farm Ticket - Countryside Local Life Culture: $18
- Child Ticket age 6 - 12 years old (Tourist): $18
- Simon Cabaret Show Phuket (Ticket Only): $20
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 dayPhuket $6.35Surabaya -
Typical Alcohol Prices in Phuket
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Phuket from other travelers:
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Cocktails (for Two)$5.46
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Beer$2.32
Sample the Local Flavors in Phuket
Also in Phuket, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- All-Night Bar Crawl with Drinks & 4 Venues: $22
- Phuket Guided Pub Crawl: $25
- Pub Crawl Tour: $25
- Phuket Real City Tour with Rum Cocktail Distillery: $77
- Big Buddha & The Distillery Phuket: $97
- Phuket Rum Distillery Cocktail Workshop And Wat Chalong Temple : $172
- Phuket Rum Distillery Cocktail Workshop & Wat Chalong Temple: $213
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phuket and Surabaya, we can see that Phuket is more expensive. And not only is Surabaya much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Phuket would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Phuket 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 Phuket Expensive? and Is Surabaya Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phuket or Surabaya?
Surabaya has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Phuket. When comparing the sizes of Phuket 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.