A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Surabaya vs. Sapporo for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Surabaya or Sapporo?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Surabaya or Sapporo? 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 Sapporo?

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.

Sapporo

Capital of the northern Japanese island Hokkaido, Sapporo is a city surrounded by mountains and known for its beer, skiing, and annual snow festival with stunning ice sculptures. As host to the 1972 Winter Olympics, the city limits are dotted with ski jumps, hills, and popular ski resorts still in use today.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Indonesia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Indonesia, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Japan, and The Best Adventure Tours to Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Sapporo or Surabaya?

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 Sapporo is $106. 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 Sapporo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Surabaya $37
    Sapporo $63
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Surabaya $74
    Sapporo $126
Compare Hotels in Surabaya and Sapporo

Looking for a hotel in Surabaya or Sapporo? 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.

Hotels in Surabaya


Hotels in Sapporo


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 Sapporo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Surabaya $2.76
    Sapporo $15

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 Sapporo

Also for Sapporo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • New Chitose Airport ↔ Sapporo, Best Transfer Pick up Service : $66
  • Airport Transfer! Hotel in center of Sapporo to New Chitose Airport (CTS): $140
  • Horseback-Riding in a Country Side in Sapporo - Private Transfer is Included: $154
  • Private Transfer from Sapporo City Hotels to Muroran Cruise Port: $143
  • Private Transfer from Sapporo hotels to Muroran Cruise Port: $158
  • Private Transfer from Sapporo hotels to Otaru Cruise Port: $93
  • Private Transfer: between Sapporo and Upopoy: $467
  • Sapporo City: Private Transfer to/from New Chitose Airport: $119
  • Shin Chitose Airport to/from Sapporo City: Shared Transfer: $37
  • SkyExpress Private Transfer: Sapporo to Otaru (8 Passengers): $289
  • [Airport Transfer] Smoothly move between Sapporo and New Chitose Airport with a private car! one way: $135

Is it cheaper to fly into Surabaya or Sapporo?

Prices for flights to both Sapporo 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 day
    Surabaya $22
    Sapporo $30

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sapporo

For Sapporo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Private Market Tour, Cooking Class and Lunch with a Local in Sapporo: $82
  • Sapporo Bar Hopping Food Tour: $82
  • Japanese Cooking Lesson and Meal with a Local Professional in her Lovely Home: $88

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Surabaya $4.74
    Sapporo $16

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

Tours and Activities in Sapporo

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sapporo.

  • JR Tower Observatory Admission Ticket: $4.04
  • Hand-rolled sushi experience tour at Sapporo Nijo Market: $44
  • Sapporo Morning Walking Tour: $46
  • Nopporo Forest Mountain Bike Tour from Sapporo, presenting a retro Cycle cap: $50
  • Sapporo Afternoon Walking Tour 2h 30mins: $53
  • Experience traditional Japanese cuisine, making soba noodles in Sapporo, in a fun and casual way.: $53
  • Japanese buckwheat noodle making experience in Sapporo,japan: $57
  • Popular No.1! Soba Making Experience and Tempura Plan: $60
  • Mondo's most popular plan! Experience making soba noodles and the king of Japanese cuisine, tempura, in Sapporo!: $62
  • Mountain Bike Tour from Sapporo Including Hoheikyo Onsen and Lunch: $68
  • Personalized Experience with a Local: $69
  • in Sapporo! Hand-made soba experience and shabu-shabu experience plan of Yezo deer meat (Gibier meat) from Hokkaido: $69

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Surabaya -
    Sapporo $7.98


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Surabaya and Sapporo, we can see that Sapporo 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 Sapporo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sapporo 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 Sapporo Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Surabaya or Sapporo?

Surabaya has a larger population, and is about 26% larger than the population of Sapporo. When comparing the sizes of Surabaya and Sapporo, 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.