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

Should you visit Surabaya or Datong?

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

Should I visit Surabaya or Datong? 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 Datong?

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.

Datong

If you're looking for an old world city, with a renovated feel, you might want to spend some time in Datong, China. This city was once walled-in and the newest initiative is to rebuild their great wall to maintain their old world charm. Datong is definitely done a lot to make itself a contender in the world of vacation destinations.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Indonesia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Indonesia, The Best Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.


Which place is cheaper, Datong or Surabaya?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Surabaya is $76, while the average daily cost in Datong is $71. 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 Datong in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Surabaya $36
    Datong $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Surabaya $72
    Datong $46
Compare Hotels in Surabaya and Datong

Looking for a hotel in Surabaya or Datong? 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 Datong


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Surabaya $2.66
    Datong $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surabaya

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Surabaya:

  • Private Transfer from Yogyakarta to Bromo: $234
  • Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Cemoro Lawang: $223
  • Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Podokoyo: $218
  • Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Samaan: $218
  • Private Transfer from Batu to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $178
  • Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Batu: $178
  • Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Bangkalan: $142
  • Private Transfer from Bangkalan to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $142
  • Private Transfer from Gempol to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $54
  • Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Gempol: $54
  • Private Transfer from Surabaya Airport (SUB) to Sidoarjo: $52
  • Private Transfer from Gresik to Surabaya Airport (SUB): $52

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong

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

  • Chengdu: Private Round-Trip Transfer to Leshan Budda: $128
  • Datong Hanging Temple Private Transfer from Hotel or Station: $69
  • Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer: $12
  • Transfer or Tour to Yungang Grottoes&Hanging Temple: $102
  • Dunhuang Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall : $100
  • From 4-Day Private Tour to Pingyao with Transfer: $988
  • Private One Way Transfer from Datong to Beijing : $211
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple and Hengshan from Datong: $118
  • Private Transfer Service from Yungang Airport to Datong Hotel: $29
  • Transfer from Datong Railway Stations to Hotels in City Center: $35

Is it cheaper to fly into Surabaya or Datong?

Prices for flights to both Datong 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 $37
    Datong $35

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Surabaya $4.56
    Datong $25

Tours and Activities in Surabaya

Here are a few actual costs in Surabaya for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 1 Day Bromo Private Day Tour with Madakaripura Waterfall: $131
  • 1 Day Tour, Wonderful Mount Bromo Sunrise From Surabaya or Malang: $136
  • 1 days Majapahit temple history tour: $100
  • 1Day - Bromo Madakaripura Day Tour: $128
  • 2Days - Bromo Family Tour via Surabaya: $163
  • 2Days - Bromo Madakaripura Adventure via Surabaya or Malang: $155
  • 2Days - Bromo Sunrise Ijen Tour via Surabaya: $199
  • 2Days/1Night Bromo Private Tour with Hotel: $189
  • 3-Day Tour: Mount Bromo & Ijen Crater from Surabaya or Malang: $264
  • 3D2N Mount Bromo & Ijen Crater Tour from Surabaya: $289
  • 3Days - Adventure Bromo Ijen via Surabaya: $245
  • 3Days - Adventure Bromo Ijen via Surabaya or Malang: $275

Tours and Activities in Datong

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

  • Yungang Grottoes Ticket Booking: $21
  • Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket with Optional Tour Services: $24
  • Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket Only: $33
  • Datong Private Self-guided Tour with Chartered Car: $35
  • Pingyao Ancient City Scenic Area Pass Ticket Only: $36
  • YungangGrottoe HangingTemple Private Self-guided Tour by Car: $79
  • Datong Hanging Temple Wooden Pagoda Self-guided Tour by Car: $95
  • 4-8 hours Private Datong Great Wall Tour: $99
  • Private day tour to Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple in Datong: $100
  • Private Guided Tour of Yungang Grottoes&Huayan Monastery : $148
  • Yungang Grottoes and Jinhua Palace 2-Day Tour: $168
  • Hanging Temple and Yungang Grottoes Private Tour: $174

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Surabaya -
    Datong $12


When comparing the travel costs between Surabaya and Datong, we can see that Surabaya is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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


Which is Bigger, Surabaya or Datong?

Surabaya has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Datong. When comparing the sizes of Surabaya and Datong, 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.