Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Surakarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Surakarta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $645 in Bandung versus $527 in Surakarta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $942 in Bandung versus $849 in Surakarta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,239 in Bandung versus $1,172 in Surakarta.

Living in Bandung is roughly 22% more expensive than in Surakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Surakarta 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

-15.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.00 Rp 247.9K

$11.67 Rp 206.6K

19.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$3.14 Rp 55.7K

6.69%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

-2.52%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,040

$0.49 Rp 8,756

-8.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,043

$0.23 Rp 4,051

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

$1.43 Rp 25.3K

124.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

8.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

20.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

38.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

14.29%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

42.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 Rp 129.6K

$8.02 Rp 142.0K

-8.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$1.75 Rp 30.9K

62.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 145.9K

$5.35 Rp 94.8K

54.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

$2.11 Rp 37.4K

8.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

-23.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

-34.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

-19.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

13.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 Rp 11.6K

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

13.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,252

$0.41 Rp 7,247

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

$2.00 Rp 35.4K

39.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 403.8K

$8.57 Rp 151.7K

166.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 Rp 34.1K

$1.74 Rp 30.8K

10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$2.92 Rp 51.6K

14.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,725

$0.39 Rp 6,862

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.57 Rp 169.5K

$22.73 Rp 402.5K

-57.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

$0.51 Rp 9,109

58.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 Rp 9,759

$0.47 Rp 8,269

17.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

-13.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

6.85%

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

$21.2K Rp 375.9M

$25.4K Rp 450.5M

-16.55%

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

$29.5K Rp 522.2M

$33.5K Rp 592.7M

-11.90%

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

$33.79 Rp 598.3K

$81.3 Rp 1.4M

-58.42%

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

$4.39 Rp 77.7K

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

113.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 Rp 347.0K

$18.91 Rp 334.8K

3.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.96 Rp 335.7K

$16.12 Rp 285.5K

17.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 Rp 104.9K

$8.56 Rp 151.6K

-30.84%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

$2.00 Rp 35.5K

44.00%

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

$93.8 Rp 1.7M

$33.61 Rp 595.2K

179.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,255 Rp 146.2M

$1,873 Rp 33.2M

340.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.76 Rp 704.0K

$59.2 Rp 1.0M

-32.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.16 Rp 587.1K

$36.91 Rp 653.5K

-10.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

8.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 Rp 1.2M

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

4.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 Rp 3.9M

$167 Rp 3.0M

33.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 Rp 3.2M

$57.0 Rp 1.0M

219.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 Rp 6.9M

$341 Rp 6.0M

14.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$197 Rp 3.5M

36.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$738 Rp 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$311 Rp 5.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 Rp 5.1M

$163 Rp 2.9M

75.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

7.5

51.73%

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

Last update for Bandung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Bandung and $167 in Surakarta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 75% 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 Bandung vs $12.00 in Surakarta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $152 per month, with Surakarta 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

Bandung vs Surakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surakarta wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Surakarta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 75% higher in Bandung, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $222 in Bandung versus $167 in Surakarta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Bandung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Surakarta – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $14.00 in Bandung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Surakarta gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Surakarta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $527 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Surakarta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Surakarta 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 Surakarta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.