Cost of Living Comparison Between Bekasi and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Bekasi and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $755 in Bekasi versus $702 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,160 in Bekasi versus $1,117 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,566 in Bekasi versus $1,532 in Surabaya.

Living in Bekasi is roughly 7% more expensive than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bekasi 43% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 Rp 56.4K

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

99.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.19 Rp 218.6K

$12.11 Rp 217.2K

0.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 58.9K

$3.05 Rp 54.8K

7.54%

Cappuccino

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

6.67%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,838

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

-23.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,064

$0.28 Rp 5,039

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 Rp 60.1K

$2.40 Rp 43.1K

39.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 Rp 75.9K

$4.09 Rp 73.3K

3.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 Rp 22.4K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-9.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

9.57%

Eggs

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

18.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 Rp 161.3K

$9.24 Rp 165.8K

-2.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 Rp 56.6K

$3.19 Rp 57.2K

-0.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 Rp 137.6K

$8.13 Rp 145.8K

-5.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 50.6K

$2.41 Rp 43.2K

17.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

1.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$2.20 Rp 39.4K

3.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

11.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 Rp 46.2K

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

49.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$1.19 Rp 21.3K

-10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,582

$0.45 Rp 8,076

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 Rp 45.1K

$2.45 Rp 44.0K

2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.33 Rp 400.6K

$25.13 Rp 450.8K

-11.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 Rp 37.5K

$1.86 Rp 33.4K

12.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 55.1K

$3.31 Rp 59.4K

-7.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 Rp 6,964

$0.44 Rp 7,846

-11.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.45 Rp 223.3K

$9.48 Rp 170.1K

31.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

$0.48 Rp 8,577

31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,756

$0.31 Rp 5,605

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 Rp 46.5K

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

-5.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

-10.47%

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

$24.8K Rp 444.9M

$20.5K Rp 368.0M

20.90%

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

$25.8K Rp 462.5M

$35.0K Rp 628.6M

-26.43%

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

$65.0 Rp 1.2M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-21.71%

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

$4.73 Rp 84.8K

$4.31 Rp 77.4K

9.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.82 Rp 463.1K

$19.61 Rp 351.9K

31.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.28 Rp 310.1K

$21.82 Rp 391.5K

-20.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.71 Rp 84.5K

$4.59 Rp 82.4K

2.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 Rp 54.1K

$2.87 Rp 51.6K

4.88%

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

$99.8 Rp 1.8M

$186 Rp 3.3M

-46.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,249 Rp 148.0M

$9,556 Rp 171.4M

-13.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 Rp 1.0M

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-10.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 Rp 610.3K

$38.85 Rp 696.9K

-12.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 Rp 1.5M

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

7.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 Rp 1.6M

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 Rp 5.6M

$244 Rp 4.4M

27.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 Rp 3.3M

$136 Rp 2.4M

35.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 Rp 9.9M

$792 Rp 14.2M

-30.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 Rp 6.7M

$399 Rp 7.2M

-6.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$578 Rp 10.4M

$2,202 Rp 39.5M

-73.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$905 Rp 16.2M

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

-13.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$355 Rp 6.4M

$269 Rp 4.8M

31.92%

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 Bekasi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $310 in Bekasi and $244 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bekasi pays 32% 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: $12.00 in Bekasi vs $12.00 in Surabaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $228 per month, with Bekasi 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

Bekasi vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bekasi and Surabaya differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($755 vs $702 including rent). Surabaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Bekasi, 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: $310 in Bekasi versus $244 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $755 per month in Bekasi versus $702 in Surabaya – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Surabaya 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.

Expats usually find Surabaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Bekasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.