Which place is cheaper, Noosa Heads or Surabaya?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Surabaya or Noosa Heads?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Surabaya or Noosa Heads? 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 Noosa Heads?
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.
Noosa Heads
A town and suburb located on Queensland, Australia's Sunshine Coast, Noosa is best known as a destination of pleasant weather, beautiful beachside scenery, shopping, dining, and outdoor adventure. Some of the top attractions of the area include Noosa National Park and Sunshine Beach.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Indonesia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Indonesia, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Australia, and The Best Contiki Tours to Australia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySurabaya $63Noosa Heads $110
The average daily cost (per person) in Surabaya is $63, while the average daily cost in Noosa Heads is $110. 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 Noosa Heads in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSurabaya $37Noosa Heads $58
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSurabaya $74Noosa Heads $116
Compare Hotels in Surabaya and Noosa Heads
Looking for a hotel in Surabaya or Noosa Heads? 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 Noosa Heads Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Surabaya $2.76Noosa Heads $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surabaya
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Surabaya:
- Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Samaan: $210
- Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Malang: $168
- Private Transfer from Batu to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $168
- Private Transfer from Bangkalan to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $134
- Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Bangkalan: $134
- Private Transfer from Gresik to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $93
- Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Gresik: $93
- Surabaya & Malang: Private Transfer To The Hotels or Airport: $68
- Surabaya & Malang: Private Hotel or Airport Transfer: $67
- Private Transfer from Manyar to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $50
- Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Gempol: $50
- Private Transfer from Gempol to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Noosa Heads
Also for Noosa Heads, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Australia Zoo Transfer from Noosa, Coolum, Marcoola & Twin Waters: $79
- Brisbane Airport Departure shuttle Transfer from Sunshine Coast Hotels/addresses: $55
- Eumundi Markets Bus Transfer from Noosa, Noosaville & Mooloolaba: $32
- Premium Airport/ Cruise Terminal Transfers: $234
- Private Morning Transfer From Noosa to Rainbow Beach: $89
- Private Transfer from Noosa to Sunshine Coast Airport up to 3 pax: $102
- Private Transfer from Sunshine Coast Airport to Hotels 11 pax: $218
- Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (4pax): $99
- Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (6pax): $116
- Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (8pax): $129
- Sunshine Coast Airport Departure Transfer from Hotels: $18
- Sunshine Coast and Noosa Eumundi Markets Bus Transfer: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Surabaya or Noosa Heads?
Prices for flights to both Noosa Heads 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
-
Food Meals for one daySurabaya $22Noosa Heads $33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Noosa Heads
For Noosa Heads, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Classes on Witta Maleny Sunshine Coast: $119
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Surabaya $4.74Noosa Heads $40
Tours and Activities in Surabaya
Here are a few actual costs in Surabaya for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Bromo Private Tour with Madakaripura Waterfall: $118
- 1 Day Private Malang / Surabaya Bromo Sunrise Tour: $98
- 1 Day Tour - Wonderful Sunrise Mount Bromo From Surabaya: $136
- 1Day - Bromo Madakaripura Day Tour: $128
- 1Day - Bromo Sunrise Tour via Surabaya (Private Tour): $132
- 2Days - Bromo Family Tour via Surabaya: $163
- 2Days - Bromo Sunrise Ijen Tour via Surabaya: $199
- 3 Days - Mt Bromo & Ijen Experience from Surabaya or Malang: $263
- 3 Days Bromo Ijen Tour From Surabaya: $170
- 3 Days Private Tour in Bromo and Ijen from Surabaya: $275
- 3Days - Adventure Bromo Ijen via Surabaya: $245
- 3Days - Adventure Bromo Ijen via Surabaya or Malang (Hotel Stay): $265
Typical Entertainment Prices in Noosa Heads
For Noosa Heads, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Surf Lesson$42
-
Sea Kayak Tour (for 2)$84
-
Sunset Cruise (for 2)$13
Tours and Activities in Noosa Heads
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Noosa Heads.
- 2 Hours Sunset Experience on Noosa River: $21
- The Original 1-Hour Mooloolaba Canal Cruise: $23
- Maleny Botanic Gardens Bird Aviary Experience Ticket: $28
- Sunset Cruise Mooloolaba: $30
- River Cruise on Historical Vessel: $32
- Aquaduck Sunshine Coast - 1hr Mooloolaba Amphibious Tour: $33
- 1 Hour Self Guided Water Bike Tour of the Noosa River: $33
- Seafood Lunch Cruise: $43
- River to River, Land and Sea E-bike Tour in Brisbane: $46
- Bushtucker Cruise: $50
- Sunset Tour with Live Music: $50
- Noosa Oceanrider - Adventure Tour: $52
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one daySurabaya -Noosa Heads $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Noosa Heads
Also in Noosa Heads, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Eumundi Market and Distillery Experience Market Days Wednesday & Saturday: $92
- Sunshine Coast Brewery Tour with Lunch: $162
- Hinterland Cheese & Wine Tasting Tour - with 2 course lunch included: $165
- Sunshine Coast & Noosa Scenic Food & Wine Tour Inc. Lunch: $182
- Noosa Hinterland Tour with Gourmet Lunch, Wine Tasting & Everglades Lake: $191
- Noosa Hinterland Drinks Tour- visit 2 distilleries, a winery and a brewery : $195
- Noosa Hinterland Drinks Private Tour with Gin, Beer, Mead & Wine Tastings: $277
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Surabaya and Noosa Heads, we can see that Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Surabaya or Noosa Heads?
Surabaya has a larger population, and is about 240 times larger than the population of Noosa Heads. When comparing the sizes of Surabaya and Noosa Heads, 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.