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: $634 in Bandung versus $660 in Surakarta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $952 in Bandung versus $999 in Surakarta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,269 in Bandung versus $1,339 in Surakarta.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 4% less than in Surakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Surakarta 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.27 Rp 22.1K

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

-15.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.29 Rp 161.1K

$12.10 Rp 209.8K

-23.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 Rp 57.2K

$3.16 Rp 54.7K

4.43%

Cappuccino

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

$1.65 Rp 28.6K

-9.09%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,409

$0.60 Rp 10.5K

-18.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,308

$0.27 Rp 4,721

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 Rp 59.7K

$1.85 Rp 32.1K

86.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 Rp 62.6K

$2.84 Rp 49.3K

27.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.3K

$1.15 Rp 19.9K

1.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 Rp 18.5K

$0.90 Rp 15.6K

18.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.3K

$0.75 Rp 13.0K

17.33%

Eggs

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

$1.23 Rp 21.4K

27.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 Rp 155.5K

$8.99 Rp 155.8K

-0.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 Rp 52.6K

$2.89 Rp 50.1K

4.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 Rp 135.4K

$7.27 Rp 126.0K

7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 40.8K

$2.40 Rp 41.6K

-2.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.1K

$1.54 Rp 26.7K

-17.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 Rp 29.6K

$2.12 Rp 36.7K

-19.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.3K

$1.39 Rp 24.1K

8.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 25.5K

$1.37 Rp 23.8K

7.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 Rp 46.0K

$1.65 Rp 28.6K

60.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 16.8K

$0.62 Rp 10.8K

56.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,310

$0.46 Rp 7,898

-8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 Rp 45.0K

$2.18 Rp 37.7K

19.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.38 Rp 405.2K

$8.86 Rp 153.6K

163.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 Rp 35.4K

$1.78 Rp 30.8K

14.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 Rp 59.1K

$3.15 Rp 54.6K

8.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,160

$0.45 Rp 7,757

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.52 Rp 182.4K

$10.08 Rp 174.7K

4.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 Rp 13.2K

$0.44 Rp 7,642

72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 Rp 13.2K

$0.29 Rp 5,002

162.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 Rp 44.1K

$2.69 Rp 46.7K

-5.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 13.8K

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

2.60%

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

$25.0K Rp 432.6M

$20.8K Rp 359.7M

20.28%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.5M

$35.1K Rp 608.9M

-25.35%

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

$43.66 Rp 756.7K

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

-48.54%

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

$4.62 Rp 80.1K

$2.22 Rp 38.5K

108.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.01 Rp 398.9K

$19.77 Rp 342.6K

16.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.48 Rp 372.2K

$19.77 Rp 342.6K

8.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.32 Rp 109.5K

$6.00 Rp 104.0K

5.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 Rp 52.1K

$2.21 Rp 38.3K

36.20%

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

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

$37.42 Rp 648.5K

145.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,439 Rp 128.9M

$2,046 Rp 35.5M

263.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.16 Rp 730.7K

$62.3 Rp 1.1M

-32.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.59 Rp 530.2K

$38.19 Rp 661.9K

-19.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.3 Rp 1.0M

$77.7 Rp 1.3M

-23.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 Rp 1.1M

$70.9 Rp 1.2M

-8.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 Rp 4.1M

$262 Rp 4.5M

-9.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 Rp 2.7M

$156 Rp 2.7M

-1.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 Rp 7.9M

$581 Rp 10.1M

-21.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 Rp 4.3M

$331 Rp 5.7M

-24.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$755 Rp 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$318 Rp 5.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 Rp 5.0M

$164 Rp 2.8M

75.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

8.33

9.84%

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

Last update for Bandung: April 28, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $238 in Bandung and $262 in Surakarta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Bandung vs $12.00 in Surakarta. Groceries flip the comparison at $214 vs $177, with Surakarta 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

Bandung vs Surakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Surakarta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bandung pays 75% more on average, 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: $238 in Bandung versus $262 in Surakarta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Surakarta pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $12.00 in Surakarta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bandung 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 Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $634 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Surakarta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.