Which place is cheaper, Gili Trawangan or Surabaya?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Surabaya or Gili Trawangan? 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.
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.
Gili Trawangan, known as Gili T, is the most visited of the three Gili Islands, located on the northeast side of Lombok. These islands are known for world-class diving and snorkeling spots. It's not hard to see why, considering that any direction you step off the shoreline, there's a beautiful underwater world to explore.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Indonesia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Indonesia, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Indonesia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Indonesia.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Surabaya is $63, while the average daily cost in Gili Trawangan is $36. 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 Surabaya and Gili Trawangan in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Surabaya or Gili Trawangan? 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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Surabaya:
Also for Gili Trawangan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Gili Trawangan and Surabaya 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.
For Gili Trawangan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Here are a few actual costs in Surabaya for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
For Gili Trawangan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Surabaya and Gili Trawangan, we can see that Surabaya is more expensive. And not only is Gili Trawangan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Gili Trawangan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Gili Trawangan 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 Gili Trawangan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Surabaya Expensive? and Is Gili Trawangan Expensive?.