Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Bali vs $708 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,328 per month in Bali vs $1,133 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,367 per month in Bali vs $1,557 in Surabaya, rent included.

Bali costs about 82% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Bali and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Bali 4% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 Rp 53.5K

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

95.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.53 Rp 478.4K

$12.12 Rp 218.6K

118.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 Rp 73.7K

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

30.67%

Cappuccino

$2.25 Rp 40.5K

$1.82 Rp 32.7K

23.63%

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

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

90.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

$0.26 Rp 4,648

138.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 Rp 43.7K

$2.41 Rp 43.5K

0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Rp 59.5K

$4.02 Rp 72.4K

-17.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$1.38 Rp 25.0K

25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

65.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

23.66%

Eggs

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

60.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 Rp 247.0K

$9.04 Rp 163.1K

51.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 Rp 74.5K

$3.29 Rp 59.4K

25.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 Rp 204.3K

$8.45 Rp 152.5K

34.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 Rp 62.3K

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

42.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

-0.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.7K

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

23.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 Rp 38.7K

$1.42 Rp 25.7K

51.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.9K

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

38.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 38.4K

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

18.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

-16.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Rp 12.2K

$0.42 Rp 7,603

59.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 Rp 57.0K

$2.54 Rp 45.8K

24.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 411.2K

$24.78 Rp 446.9K

-7.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 47.8K

$1.77 Rp 31.8K

49.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 49.1K

$3.14 Rp 56.7K

-13.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,830

$0.48 Rp 8,572

-43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.46 Rp 152.6K

$9.40 Rp 169.6K

-10.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,240

$0.44 Rp 7,997

4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,256

$0.29 Rp 5,216

58.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 Rp 108.3K

$2.77 Rp 50.0K

116.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

-2.38%

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

$26.0K Rp 468.8M

$20.6K Rp 372.2M

25.97%

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

$31.9K Rp 574.7M

$35.8K Rp 645.7M

-11.00%

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

$79.7 Rp 1.4M

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

-6.07%

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

$3.92 Rp 70.7K

$4.09 Rp 73.7K

-4.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 Rp 439.2K

$19.75 Rp 356.2K

23.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$21.59 Rp 389.4K

281.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.30 Rp 95.5K

$4.57 Rp 82.4K

15.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 Rp 62.1K

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

20.70%

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

$267 Rp 4.8M

$188 Rp 3.4M

42.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,920 Rp 106.8M

$9,556 Rp 172.3M

-38.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 Rp 919.9K

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

-17.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.67 Rp 661.3K

$38.56 Rp 695.3K

-4.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

7.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-10.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 Rp 15.4M

$242 Rp 4.4M

252.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 Rp 10.3M

$135 Rp 2.4M

323.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,981 Rp 53.8M

$762 Rp 13.7M

291.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 Rp 32.2M

$393 Rp 7.1M

353.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 Rp 42.8M

$2,209 Rp 39.8M

7.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,973 Rp 35.6M

$1,067 Rp 19.2M

84.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 Rp 4.0M

$276 Rp 5.0M

-19.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

8.33

59.42%

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

Last update for Bali: May 31, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $854 in Bali versus $242 in Surabaya. 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 24% higher in Surabaya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bali versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $226 – making Surabaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bali vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 82% more than Surabaya, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,932 per month in Bali and $1,062 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surabaya, 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 $27.00 in Bali and $12.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,288 in Bali and $708 in Surabaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surabaya, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Bali at $1,288. In Surabaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surabaya costs $708 versus $1,288 in Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Surabaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.