A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Yogyakarta vs. San Diego for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Yogyakarta or San Diego?

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

Should I visit Yogyakarta or San Diego? 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: Yogyakarta or San Diego?

Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta, also called Yogya, Jogja, and Jogjakarta, is Java's hub of culture and art, and is the top-visited destination on the island. While Jakarta is the most populated and industrially-developed city in Indonesia, Yogya has managed to progress without losing its cultural charm, as illustrated in its well-kept traditional Indonesian architecture.

San Diego

For many visitors and locals alike, San Diego is a paradise. Located in southern California, not far from Los Angeles, it has the perfect climate, wonderful beaches, and a culturally rich environment. It's surrounded by beautiful landscape and has a strong focus on wildlife conservation and eco-friendly living. Home to about 1.3 million residents, it is California's second largest city. It also has many universities, a large tech industry, and a thriving economy. Despite its size, many people perceive San Diego as a slower, more relaxed city with a pleasant vibe away from the chaos of a large city.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia, The Best Eco Tours in Indonesia, The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America, and The Best Contiki Tours to United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, San Diego or Yogyakarta?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Yogyakarta is $58, while the average daily cost in San Diego is $202. 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 Yogyakarta and San Diego in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Yogyakarta $37
    San Diego $115
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Yogyakarta $74
    San Diego $230
Compare Hotels in Yogyakarta and San Diego

Looking for a hotel in Yogyakarta or San Diego? 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 Yogyakarta


Hotels in San Diego


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: Yogyakarta Hotel Prices and San Diego Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Yogyakarta $1.34
    San Diego $24

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yogyakarta

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

  • Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport (JOG) to Wanurejo: $169
  • Private Transfer from Kembanglimus to Yogyakarta Airport (JOG): $168
  • Private Transfer from Wanurejo to Yogyakarta Airport (JOG): $168
  • Jepara & One Way Private Transfer: $110
  • Layover Tour w/ Entry Tickets & Airport Transfer: $94
  • Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport (JOG) to Donoharjo: $93
  • Private Transfer from Sinduadi to Yogyakarta Airport (JOG): $93
  • Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport (JOG) to Condong Catur: $93
  • Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport (JOG) to Sendangadi: $93
  • Private Transfer from Banyuraden to Yogyakarta Airport (JOG): $93
  • Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport (JOG) to Trihanggo: $93
  • Private Transfer from Trihanggo to Yogyakarta Airport (JOG): $93

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Diego

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

  • Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in San Diego HTL-APT(SAN): $47
  • Transfer in private minivan from San Diego Downtown to San Diego Airport (SAN): $68
  • Transfer in private minivan from San Diego Airport (SAN) to San Diego Downtown: $68
  • Tijuana to Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
  • Tijuana to Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) – Departure Private Transfer: $55
  • Tijuana Intl Airport (TIJ) to Playas de Rosarito -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $241
  • Tijuana Intl Airport (TIJ) to Playas de Rosarito - Arrival Private Transfer: $121
  • Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) to Tijuana hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
  • San Diego Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to San Diego: $70
  • San Diego Airport - Private Round Trip Transfer: $70
  • San Diego Airport (SAN): Private Transfer to San Diego: $190
  • San Diego Airport (SAN) to San Marcos, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $64

Is it cheaper to fly into Yogyakarta or San Diego?

Prices for flights to both San Diego and Yogyakarta 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
    Yogyakarta $12
    San Diego $45

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yogyakarta

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

  • Morning Food Tour with Tasting: $23
  • Yogyakarta : Guided City Walk and Food Tour: $32
  • Prambanan temple afternoon tour and dinner: $34
  • Prawirotaman Night Food Tour: $35
  • Night Walking and Food Tour: $37
  • Ramayana Ballet Performance with Dinner: $39
  • Yogyakarta Cooking Class and Market Tour : $40
  • Small-Group Walking and Food Tour by Night in Yogyakarta: $40
  • Javanese Cooking Class & Market Tour: $57
  • Yogyakarta Day Food Tour: $58
  • Yogyakarta Cooking Class: $71
  • Nusantara Cooking Course and Lokal Market Tour: $81

Typical Food Prices in San Diego

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to San Diego:


  • Mexican Lunch for Two
    $27
  • Breakfast at Starbucks
    $20

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Diego

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

  • Pizza and Gelato Tour in San Diego: $80
  • San Diego Vegan Food Tour: $85
  • Old Town Tequila and Tacos Walking Food Tour: $85
  • Gaslamp Quarter Food Tour: $89
  • Gaslamp Quarter Downtown San Diego Food Tour: $89
  • San Diego Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $95
  • San Diego, Seaport Village: Waterfront Walking Food Tour: $99
  • Seaport Village Food Tour in San Diego : $99
  • Guided Secret Food Tour: $103
  • Scenic Buffet Dinner Cruise: $108
  • San Diego Dinner Cruise: $116
  • Gourmet Dinner Cruise: $118

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Yogyakarta $16
    San Diego $48

Tours and Activities in Yogyakarta

For Yogyakarta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Private Tour Borobudur Sunrise – Merapi Volcano – Prambanan (Transport Only): $80
  • Sunrise : Punthuk Setumbu, Borobudur And Prambanan Temples Tour (PRIVATE TOUR): $121
  • Yogyakarta Jomblang Cave Day Tour (PRIVATE TOUR): $88
  • 1 day Yogyakarta Tour Jomblang cave and Pindul Cave tubing: $72
  • 1 day tour Borobudur and Prambanan Temples : $69
  • 1 day tour borobudur temple,prambanan temple,plaosan temple: $72
  • 1-Day Yogyakarta Borobudur and City Tour - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $188
  • 1-Day Yogyakarta City Tour Prangtritis Beach - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $139
  • 1-Day Yogyakarta Javanese Culture - PRIVATE TOUR with GUIDE: $198
  • 1-Day Yogyakarta Merapi Borobudur - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $183
  • 1-Day Yogyakarta Merapi Pengger Heha - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $139
  • 1-Day Yogyakarta Prambanan and City Tour - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $188

Typical Entertainment Prices in San Diego

For San Diego, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • San Diego Zoo
    $15
  • Sea World Parking
    $12

Tours and Activities in San Diego

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

  • Maritime Museum of San Diego Admission Ticket: $24
  • "Drink, Ride, Sing, & Dance!" Bar Tour (4 bars included): $33
  • 1 Hour GPS Guided Scooter Tour: Harbor/Gaslamp Quarter: $92
  • 1-Hour Private Scenic Tandem Sidecar Tour in San Diego: $99
  • 1-Hour Voodoo Escape Room Experience in San Diego: $35
  • 1.5 Hour Walking Tour from La Jolla in San Diego: $59
  • 1Hr GPS Self Guided Scooter Tour: Harbor/Gaslamp Quarter: $63
  • 4 Hour Self-Guided Electric Bike Tour or Rental: $87
  • A Seaside Stroll: La Jolla's Hidden Treasures Self-Guided Tour: $9.99
  • All Day San Diego Scenic Tour: $125
  • Apple Pies & Desert Skies: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $15
  • Balboa Park Puzzling Adventure: $35

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Yogyakarta $4.98
    San Diego $21

Sample the Local Flavors in San Diego

Also in San Diego, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • San Diego Bar Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
  • History Tour Pub Crawl of Famous Gaslamp Quarter: $30
  • Brewery Tour with Tastings and Food Pairings: $85
  • Vino! Vino! Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $125
  • Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $125
  • Private Wine Tasting Tour in Valle de Guadalupe: $133
  • Cruise & Booze Brewery tours : $149
  • Baja Tour Guide wine tour: $169
  • Sidecar Wine Tasting Tour: $199
  • Brewery and Tap Room Sidecar Tour: $199
  • California Sunset Brewery Tour: $199
  • Brewery and Beer Tasting Tour in San Diego: $215


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Yogyakarta and San Diego, we can see that San Diego is more expensive. And not only is Yogyakarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Yogyakarta is in Asia and San Diego is in North America, 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 Yogyakarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Yogyakarta 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 San Diego would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Diego than you might in Yogyakarta.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Yogyakarta Expensive? and Is San Diego Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Yogyakarta or San Diego?

San Diego has a larger population, and is about 92% larger than the population of Yogyakarta. When comparing the sizes of Yogyakarta and San Diego, 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.