Cost of Living Comparison Between Banda Aceh and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Banda Aceh and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $326 per month in Banda Aceh vs $676 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $521 per month in Banda Aceh vs $1,202 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $716 per month in Banda Aceh vs $1,728 in Surabaya, rent included.

Banda Aceh is about 52% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Banda Aceh and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Banda Aceh 76% lower, Surabaya 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

32.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.01 Rp 124.1K

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

-39.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.50 Rp 61.9K

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

7.69%

Cappuccino

$1.26 Rp 22.3K

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

-20.25%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,429

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

-32.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,264

$0.26 Rp 4,554

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

13.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 Rp 69.6K

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

-9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 Rp 29.3K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

29.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

-31.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

-15.56%

Eggs

$1.61 Rp 28.5K

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

30.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 Rp 151.9K

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

12.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.49 Rp 44.0K

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

-19.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.83 Rp 120.9K

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

-10.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

8.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

-31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

-53.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.5K

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

-43.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

-34.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 Rp 61.4K

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

70.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,985

$0.41 Rp 7,186

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 Rp 56.2K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

65.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,236

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,630

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 Rp 11.9K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-12.99%

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

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

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

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

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

$34.54 Rp 611.7K

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

-60.13%

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

$2.36 Rp 41.8K

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

-49.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.88 Rp 422.8K

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

22.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.69 Rp 171.5K

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

-48.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.38 Rp 237.0K

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

92.24%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,963 Rp 34.8M

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

-80.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.52 Rp 505.1K

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

-60.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.86 Rp 404.8K

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

-43.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.76 Rp 792.6K

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-46.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.29 Rp 501.0K

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

-62.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

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

Last update for Banda Aceh: September 14, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $7.00 in Banda Aceh versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $137 vs $211 – making Banda Aceh 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

Banda Aceh vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 107%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $490 per month in Banda Aceh and $1,015 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Surabaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $7.00 in Banda Aceh and $12.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $326 in Banda Aceh and $676 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Banda Aceh – 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 Banda Aceh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surabaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.