Cost of Living Comparison Between Balikpapan and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Balikpapan and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $672 in Balikpapan versus $676 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,070 in Balikpapan versus $1,202 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in Balikpapan versus $1,728 in Surabaya.

Living in Balikpapan costs roughly 1% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Balikpapan 51% lower, Surabaya 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

-20.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.14 Rp 197.3K

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

-3.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.17 Rp 56.1K

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

-2.46%

Cappuccino

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

-8.23%

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

$0.38 Rp 6,782

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

-38.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,529

$0.26 Rp 4,554

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 42.5K

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 Rp 62.5K

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

-19.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-6.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

-14.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

30.00%

Eggs

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

110.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 Rp 130.0K

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

-3.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

-3.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 Rp 120.1K

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

-10.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

7.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

-0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

-11.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

-20.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

-2.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 35.6K

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

-0.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

-26.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$0.41 Rp 7,186

68.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

-1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.60 Rp 364.7K

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

-18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

7.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

2.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 Rp 9,817

$0.33 Rp 5,825

66.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$0.52 Rp 9,236

121.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 5,944

$0.43 Rp 7,630

-20.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

4.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-1.30%

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

$23.5K Rp 416.3M

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

-5.22%

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

$31.2K Rp 552.0M

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

-4.05%

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

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

-19.34%

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

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

-3.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 Rp 523.8K

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

51.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.45 Rp 433.0K

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

30.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.64 Rp 153.1K

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

24.14%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

5.56%

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

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

$283 Rp 5.0M

-66.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,923 Rp 122.6M

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

-29.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.44 Rp 680.6K

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

-46.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.51 Rp 345.5K

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

-51.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 Rp 2.5M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

70.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

-6.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 Rp 3.6M

$282 Rp 5.0M

-27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$150 Rp 2.7M

4.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 Rp 9.9M

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

-55.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 Rp 6.5M

$619 Rp 11.0M

-40.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,079 Rp 19.1M

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

-51.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$709 Rp 12.6M

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

-33.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 Rp 4.3M

$277 Rp 4.9M

-11.28%

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 Balikpapan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Balikpapan and $282 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 13% 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: $11.00 in Balikpapan vs $12.00 in Surabaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $211 per month, with Balikpapan cheaper across the board.

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

Balikpapan vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Balikpapan and Surabaya differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($672 vs $676 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% 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: $203 in Balikpapan versus $282 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $94.7 in Balikpapan versus $283 in Surabaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Balikpapan – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $12.00 in Surabaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Balikpapan 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, Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.