Which place is cheaper, Melbourne or Surabaya?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Surabaya or Melbourne? 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.
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, after Sydney. It is also the capital city of the state of Victoria, in southeastern Australia. Melbourne is arguably the best city to experience culture and the arts in Australia. There is a friendly rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney over livability and popularity and Melbourne is definitely the city to visit for its parks, shopping, restaurants, galleries and theaters. Like Sydney, it is situated on the water, at the head of Port Phillip Bay. It's a beautiful city, and although it lacks the major sights that you'll find in Sydney such as the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, you will never find yourself lacking for entertainment. It is also a wonderful base for exploring many of the nearby highlights, including Grampians National Park, The Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island where you can view the penguin parade.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Indonesia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Indonesia, The Best Water Sports Tour Packages in Australia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia.
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 Melbourne is $176. 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 Melbourne in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Surabaya or Melbourne? 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:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Melbourne 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 Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
For Melbourne, 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 Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Surabaya and Melbourne, we can see that Melbourne is more expensive. And not only is Surabaya much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Surabaya is in Asia and Melbourne 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 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 Melbourne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Melbourne 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 Melbourne Expensive?.
Melbourne has a larger population, and is about 57% larger than the population of Surabaya. When comparing the sizes of Surabaya and Melbourne, 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.