Which place is cheaper, Kyoto or Surabaya?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Surabaya or Kyoto?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Surabaya or Kyoto? 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: Surabaya or Kyoto?
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.
Kyoto
Kyoto is a larger city of Japan, though it is very much set in the old ways. With quiet temples, sublime gardens, colorful shrines, and geisha walking amidst a city surrounded by stunning mountains, Kyoto feels like a world of another time and place. True to ancient Japanese tradition, most aspects of daily life are tied closely with the changing of the seasons.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Indonesia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Indonesia, The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Tokyo.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySurabaya $63Kyoto $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Surabaya is $63, while the average daily cost in Kyoto is $96. 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 Kyoto in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSurabaya $37Kyoto $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSurabaya $74Kyoto $126
Compare Hotels in Surabaya and Kyoto
Looking for a hotel in Surabaya or Kyoto? 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: Surabaya Hotel Prices and Kyoto Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Surabaya $2.76Kyoto $7.55
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kyoto
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kyoto:
- Chubu Centrair Airport to/from Kyoto Private Transfer: $553
- From Private 1-Way Transfer to Kansai Airport: $316
- Kansai Airport (KIX): Private One-Way Transfer to/from Kyoto: $207
- Kansai Int Airport to/from Kyoto City Private Transfer: $264
- Kansai Intl. Airport KIX Private Transfer to/from Kyoto: $222
- Kyoto Early Bird Half Day Private Tour with Transfer: $292
- Customizable Private Tour with Hotel Transfers: $504
- One-Way Private Transfer to/from Itami Airport: $316
- Osaka (Itami) Airport ITM Private Transfer to/from Kyoto: $212
- Osaka (Itami) Airport to/from Kyoto City Private Transfer: $136
- Osaka City to/from Kyoto City Private transfer: $221
- Private departure transfer from Kyoto city to Kansai International airport: $107
Is it cheaper to fly into Surabaya or Kyoto?
Prices for flights to both Kyoto 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one daySurabaya $22Kyoto $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kyoto
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kyoto.
- Private Cooking Class Udon in Kyoto Japan: $40
- Japanese Washoku Bento Cooking Class with Lunch: $41
- Nishiki Market Brunch Walking Food Tour: $45
- Japanese Home Cooking Lesson with Local Hosts in Peaceful Kyoto Suburb Otsu: $49
- Kyoto Nishiki Market & Depachika: 2-hours Food Tour with a Local: $59
- Afternoon Japanese Izakaya Cooking Class: $59
- Morning Japanese Bento Cooking Class: $59
- Japanese Cooking Class: $60
- Japanese Udon and Sushi Cooking Class with Tastings: $62
- Wagashi(Japanese sweets) Cooking :Kyoto near Fushimiinari: $63
- Bento Box Cooking Class: $66
- Izakaya Style Cooking Class: $66
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Surabaya $4.74Kyoto $13
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
Tours and Activities in Kyoto
Here are a few actual costs in Kyoto for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Arashiyama self guided tour app multilingual audio guide: $2.14
- Kyoto Tower Admission Ticket: $6.13
- Audio Guide Tour of Kinkaku-ji & Ryōan-ji Areas ~ Zen Echoe: $6.32
- Audio Guide Tour Sanjusangen-do & Chishaku-in: $6.32
- Audio Guide Tour through Gion: Kiyomizu-dera and Kodai-ji: $6.32
- Audio Guide Tour: Unveiling Kyoto Station Surroundings: $6.32
- Nijo Castle & Kitano Tenmangu Shrine: Auidio Guide Tour: $6.32
- Arashiyama: Self-Guided Audio Tour through History & Nature: $6.32
- Audio guide tour of the Kyoto Imperial Palace & surroundings: $6.32
- Ninnaji Temple Entry Ticket: $6.95
- Kyoto self-guided tour app with multi-language audioguide: $8.56
- Kyoto Gion Night Walking Tour: $9.47
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySurabaya -Kyoto $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Kyoto
Also in Kyoto, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Japanese Sake Brewery and Fushimi Inari Sightseeing Tour: $18
- Sake Brewery and Tasting Tour in Fushimi: $80
- Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing: $83
- Rural Brewery Town Walk: Half-Day Private Tour Near Kyoto: $97
- Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour: $153
- Rural Villages & Brewery Town: Private 1-Day Cycling Near Kyoto: $181
- Kyoto Sake Bar and Pub Crawl (Food & Sake Tour): $189
- Kyoto Sake Bar and Pub Crawl (Food & Sake Tour): $195
- Private Guided Local Bar Crawl Experience in Kyoto: $223
- Kyoto Nightlife: Local Bar Crawl Experience: $435
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Surabaya and Kyoto, we can see that Kyoto 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 Kyoto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kyoto 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 Surabaya Expensive? and Is Kyoto Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Surabaya or Kyoto?
Surabaya has a larger population, and is about 63% larger than the population of Kyoto. When comparing the sizes of Surabaya and Kyoto, 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.