Home › Yogyakarta › On a budget
Yogyakarta on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yogyakarta is excellent on a budget: a careful day costs about Rp 520,000 per person (bed 150,000, food 120,000, sights 200,000, transport 50,000). Temple tickets are the main expense, so spread them over several days.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | Rp150,000 | Rp400,000 | Rp1,200,000 |
| Food & drink | Rp120,000 | Rp300,000 | Rp700,000 |
| Sights & tickets | Rp200,000 | Rp400,000 | Rp700,000 |
| Local transport | Rp50,000 | Rp200,000 | Rp500,000 |
| Per person, per day | Rp520,000 | Rp1,300,000 | Rp3,100,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Yogyakarta day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk Malioboro Street in the evening as the food stalls set up
- Beringharjo market for batik, spices and jamu
- The kampung lanes around Taman Sari, with artists' studios (the water castle itself has a small fee)
- The lanes, old mosque and silversmiths' workshops of Kotagede
- Kopi joss stalls near Tugu station at night (just pay for the coffee)
- The small temples of Mendut and Pawon from the outside, near Borobudur
Cheap eats
- Nasi kucing at an angkringan stall, a few thousand rupiah a packet
- Gudeg with rice, chicken and egg, about Rp 25,000–40,000
- Bakmi Jawa, Javanese noodles cooked over charcoal, at a warung
- Sate klathak, goat satay, at a warung on the Imogiri road
- Bakpia cakes from the Pathok area, a few thousand rupiah each
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in Sosrowijayan, near Malioboro, where guesthouses cost about Rp 150,000–350,000 a room and hostels less. Prawirotaman has more comfortable mid-range guesthouses.
Getting around cheaply
Use Grab or Gojek (most rides Rp 15,000–40,000) and walk around Malioboro and the Kraton. The airport train to Tugu station takes about 40 minutes. For temples, sharing a car and driver is cheapest.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Kraton (about Rp 25,000–50,000) and Taman Sari
- Lunch: Warung meal, about Rp 30,000
- Afternoon: Beringharjo market and Malioboro (free)
- Evening: Gudeg and kopi joss at an angkringan stall, about Rp 50,000
- Total: about Rp 520,000 including a guesthouse room share and the day's tickets
More ways to save
- Visit in the dry season shoulder months, May or October, for good weather without the July holiday crowds.
- Carry small notes for stalls, becaks and parking.
- Book Borobudur's upper-terrace ticket online in advance to avoid a wasted trip.
- Wear clothes covering shoulders and knees to avoid renting sarongs at the temples.
- Eat breakfast at angkringan stalls or warungs instead of hotel restaurants.
- Join a shared sunrise tour rather than hiring a private car if travelling alone.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Can I visit Yogyakarta on a budget?
Yes: about Rp 520,000 a day per person, staying in Sosrowijayan and eating at warungs.
What is the cheapest way from the airport?
The airport train from YIA to Tugu station, about 40 minutes.
What is free in Yogyakarta?
Malioboro, Beringharjo market, the kampung around Taman Sari, Kotagede and the night stalls near Tugu.