Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambato and Surakarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambato and Surakarta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Ambato vs $522 in Surakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $963 per month in Ambato vs $834 in Surakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,337 per month in Ambato vs $1,146 in Surakarta, rent included.

Ambato costs about 13% more than Surakarta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ambato and Surakarta are more affordable than the global median – Ambato 57% lower, Surakarta 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 $3.51

$1.72 Rp 30.3K

104.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.47 $30.47

$11.71 Rp 207.1K

160.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.11 Rp 55.0K

70.42%

Cappuccino

$2.64 $2.64

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

74.83%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.50 Rp 8,818

42.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.25 Rp 4,454

156.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.39 Rp 24.6K

40.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.79 Rp 49.3K

7.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.94 Rp 16.5K

5.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

31.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.70 Rp 12.4K

125.71%

Eggs

$1.75 $1.75

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

73.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$7.59 Rp 134.2K

-28.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.74 Rp 30.8K

75.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$5.47 Rp 96.7K

-28.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.11 Rp 37.2K

-39.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

-30.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

-49.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.45 Rp 25.6K

-32.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.37 Rp 24.3K

-39.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.65 Rp 29.2K

-40.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 $0.63

$0.55 Rp 9,795

14.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.41 Rp 7,217

151.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.27 $5.27

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

160.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.56 Rp 151.4K

3.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.68 Rp 29.7K

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.90 Rp 51.2K

-4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.39 Rp 6,834

-25.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.92 $13.92

$22.46 Rp 397.2K

-38.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.47 Rp 8,378

106.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.44 Rp 7,754

156.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 $9.41

$2.71 Rp 47.8K

247.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

5.13%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.3K $23.3K

$25.3K Rp 447.3M

-8.06%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.2K $28.2K

$32.6K Rp 575.7M

-13.23%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$36.45 $36.45

$81.0 Rp 1.4M

-55.00%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.16 $12.16

$2.10 Rp 37.2K

479.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.25 $26.25

$19.10 Rp 337.7K

37.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.83 $29.83

$16.35 Rp 289.1K

82.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.70 Rp 153.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 $4.52

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

132.99%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$221 $221

$33.41 Rp 590.9K

560.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,437 $2,437

$1,888 Rp 33.4M

29.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.05 $48.05

$60.4 Rp 1.1M

-20.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.06 $35.06

$37.27 Rp 659.1K

-5.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 $72.6

$70.0 Rp 1.2M

3.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 $55.2

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

-18.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 $180

$167 Rp 2.9M

7.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 $123

$56.0 Rp 989.7K

120.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 $376

$340 Rp 6.0M

10.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 $276

$195 Rp 3.5M

41.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,139 $1,139

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$889 $889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$666 $666

$161 Rp 2.9M

312.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

20.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ambato: August 31, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $180 in Ambato versus $167 in Surakarta. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 313% higher in Ambato, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Ambato versus $12.00 in Surakarta. Groceries tell a different story – $147 in Ambato vs $151 in Surakarta – so Ambato wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ambato vs Surakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambato costs about 13% more than Surakarta, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $884 per month in Ambato and $783 in Surakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surakarta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Ambato and $12.00 in Surakarta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $589 in Ambato and $522 in Surakarta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $589 in Ambato and $522 in Surakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Surakarta – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Surakarta. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ambato makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.