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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $669 per month in Ambato vs $644 in Surakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,002 per month in Ambato vs $997 in Surakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,334 per month in Ambato vs $1,350 in Surakarta, rent included.

Ambato costs about 4% more than Surakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ambato and Surakarta are more affordable than the global median – Ambato 50% lower, Surakarta 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 $3.03

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

92.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.06 $25.06

$12.06 Rp 215.3K

107.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.05 Rp 54.4K

67.87%

Cappuccino

$2.49 $2.49

$1.66 Rp 29.7K

50.00%

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

$0.78 $0.78

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

39.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.25 Rp 4,429

156.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.86 Rp 33.2K

8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.91 Rp 51.9K

23.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

-18.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

14.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

85.19%

Eggs

$1.98 $1.98

$1.24 Rp 22.2K

59.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$9.24 Rp 165.0K

-66.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.89 Rp 51.7K

1.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$7.41 Rp 132.2K

-44.53%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.30 Rp 41.0K

-57.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

-31.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.11 Rp 37.7K

-51.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.35 Rp 24.0K

-25.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

-23.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.65 Rp 29.5K

-40.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

-20.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.45 Rp 8,086

128.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.12 Rp 37.9K

178.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 $8.93

$8.48 Rp 151.4K

5.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

-18.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.19 Rp 56.9K

-4.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.42 Rp 7,489

-26.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.02 $24.02

$9.69 Rp 173.0K

147.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 $0.67

$0.48 Rp 8,575

39.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.31 Rp 5,588

219.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.62 $9.62

$2.81 Rp 50.1K

242.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 $0.66

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

-19.51%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$20.5K Rp 365.9M

48.55%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$34.7K Rp 619.4M

-18.07%

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

$39.33 $39.33

$84.4 Rp 1.5M

-53.38%

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

$13.79 $13.79

$2.27 Rp 40.6K

507.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.26 $30.26

$19.70 Rp 351.7K

53.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.61 $29.61

$19.91 Rp 355.5K

48.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 $14.84

$6.29 Rp 112.4K

135.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 $6.07

$2.11 Rp 37.6K

187.68%

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

$255 $255

$36.58 Rp 653.3K

596.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,356 $2,356

$2,069 Rp 36.9M

13.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.59 $49.59

$61.7 Rp 1.1M

-19.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.10 $37.10

$39.67 Rp 708.4K

-6.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 $88.5

$75.5 Rp 1.3M

17.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 $58.9

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

-19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 $336

$255 Rp 4.5M

32.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 $187

$155 Rp 2.8M

20.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 $616

$589 Rp 10.5M

4.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 $251

$336 Rp 6.0M

-25.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,133 $1,133

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$883 $883

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$668 $668

$157 Rp 2.8M

325.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

-3.96%

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

Last update for Ambato: May 31, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $336 in Ambato versus $255 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 325% 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 $25.00 in Ambato versus $12.00 in Surakarta. Groceries tell a different story – $141 in Ambato vs $177 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 4% more than Surakarta, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,004 per month in Ambato and $966 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 $25.00 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 $669 in Ambato and $644 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 $669 in Ambato and $644 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.