Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $660 in Ambon versus $692 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,038 in Ambon versus $1,196 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,416 in Ambon versus $1,700 in Surabaya.

Living in Ambon costs roughly 5% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 52% lower, Surabaya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.11 Rp 19.5K

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

-35.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.82 Rp 243.2K

$11.58 Rp 203.9K

19.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 Rp 67.7K

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

22.29%

Cappuccino

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

$1.59 Rp 28.0K

-4.40%

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

$0.44 Rp 7,725

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

-22.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 Rp 5,052

$0.26 Rp 4,556

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 Rp 43.3K

$2.31 Rp 40.7K

6.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 Rp 61.2K

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-19.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.22 Rp 21.4K

-13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 Rp 17.5K

$1.30 Rp 22.9K

-23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.84 Rp 14.7K

3.57%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.4K

$1.21 Rp 21.3K

19.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 Rp 131.2K

$7.90 Rp 139.1K

-5.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 Rp 53.5K

$2.97 Rp 52.3K

2.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 Rp 135.3K

$7.60 Rp 133.8K

1.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 40.4K

$2.13 Rp 37.5K

7.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.5K

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

-3.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 29.6K

$1.85 Rp 32.6K

-9.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 Rp 21.7K

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

-21.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.3K

$1.34 Rp 23.6K

-5.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

$2.00 Rp 35.1K

-3.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.97 Rp 17.0K

-19.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,058

$0.43 Rp 7,648

-6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

$2.04 Rp 35.9K

7.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.79 Rp 366.0K

$25.91 Rp 456.1K

-19.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 Rp 32.3K

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 Rp 52.5K

$3.03 Rp 53.4K

-1.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,660

$0.33 Rp 5,732

-3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.28 Rp 304.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,853

$0.48 Rp 8,409

4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,013

$0.46 Rp 8,175

-26.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 Rp 46.9K

$2.73 Rp 48.0K

-2.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

2.47%

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

$24.6K Rp 433.9M

$25.4K Rp 446.3M

-2.79%

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

$28.8K Rp 507.8M

$32.7K Rp 575.2M

-11.71%

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

$71.4 Rp 1.3M

$89.2 Rp 1.6M

-19.99%

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

$5.73 Rp 100.9K

$4.62 Rp 81.4K

24.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.19 Rp 337.8K

$19.75 Rp 347.8K

-2.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.11 Rp 336.5K

$18.50 Rp 325.7K

3.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.56 Rp 168.3K

$6.79 Rp 119.5K

40.80%

Cinema Ticket

$1.39 Rp 24.4K

$2.71 Rp 47.6K

-48.71%

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

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$278 Rp 4.9M

-68.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,065 Rp 142.0M

$9,802 Rp 172.6M

-17.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.82 Rp 771.5K

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

-39.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.99 Rp 492.9K

$40.01 Rp 704.5K

-30.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

$82.2 Rp 1.4M

-12.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 Rp 1.2M

$76.4 Rp 1.3M

-7.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 Rp 3.5M

$290 Rp 5.1M

-31.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 Rp 3.0M

$150 Rp 2.6M

14.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 Rp 11.1M

$1,277 Rp 22.5M

-50.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 Rp 6.1M

$607 Rp 10.7M

-43.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,135 Rp 20.0M

$2,202 Rp 38.8M

-48.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$591 Rp 10.4M

$1,066 Rp 18.8M

-44.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$126 Rp 2.2M

$279 Rp 4.9M

-54.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

7.5

26.13%

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

Last update for Ambon: September 7, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Ambon and $290 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 122% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Ambon vs $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $212, with Ambon cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ambon vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Surabaya. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 122% lower in Surabaya. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $198 in Ambon versus $290 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Surabaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $660 per month in Ambon versus $692 in Surabaya – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Ambon gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ambon and Surabaya are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.