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: $664 in Bekasi versus $676 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,081 in Bekasi versus $1,202 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,498 in Bekasi versus $1,728 in Surabaya.

Living in Bekasi costs roughly 2% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.51 Rp 44.5K

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

45.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.25 Rp 252.9K

$11.51 Rp 204.3K

23.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.34 Rp 59.3K

$3.25 Rp 57.7K

2.77%

Cappuccino

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

-1.27%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,460

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

-32.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,441

$0.26 Rp 4,565

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 Rp 47.2K

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

19.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 Rp 69.0K

$4.36 Rp 77.4K

-10.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.8K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

-11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 Rp 16.4K

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

2.22%

Eggs

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

35.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 Rp 172.4K

$7.62 Rp 135.2K

27.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 Rp 53.5K

$3.09 Rp 54.9K

-2.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 Rp 139.2K

$7.60 Rp 134.9K

3.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 Rp 50.4K

$2.12 Rp 37.6K

33.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.2K

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

10.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 Rp 47.2K

$1.92 Rp 34.1K

38.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

-12.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 Rp 25.0K

$1.34 Rp 23.8K

5.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 37.9K

$2.03 Rp 36.0K

4.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 Rp 16.5K

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,985

$0.41 Rp 7,202

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 Rp 47.6K

$1.92 Rp 34.1K

39.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.26 Rp 395.1K

$25.23 Rp 447.8K

-11.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 Rp 35.9K

$1.77 Rp 31.5K

14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 Rp 56.4K

$2.92 Rp 51.8K

8.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 Rp 6,283

$0.33 Rp 5,838

6.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 Rp 201.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

$0.52 Rp 9,257

65.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,957

$0.43 Rp 7,648

4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$2.76 Rp 49.0K

-15.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

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

$21.3K Rp 378.0M

$24.8K Rp 440.2M

-14.13%

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

$33.2K Rp 589.5M

$32.5K Rp 576.7M

2.22%

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

$64.9 Rp 1.2M

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

-25.15%

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

$6.07 Rp 107.7K

$4.68 Rp 83.1K

29.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.54 Rp 346.7K

$19.47 Rp 345.5K

0.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.16 Rp 286.8K

$18.72 Rp 332.2K

-13.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.31 Rp 112.1K

$6.96 Rp 123.5K

-9.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 Rp 61.6K

$2.70 Rp 47.9K

28.52%

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

$132 Rp 2.4M

$283 Rp 5.0M

-53.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,275 Rp 146.9M

$9,866 Rp 175.1M

-16.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 Rp 1.1M

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

-16.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.87 Rp 583.4K

$40.23 Rp 714.0K

-18.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 Rp 1.4M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-7.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

25.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 Rp 3.6M

$282 Rp 5.0M

-27.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 Rp 2.4M

$150 Rp 2.7M

-11.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 Rp 8.3M

$1,256 Rp 22.3M

-62.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 Rp 6.4M

$619 Rp 11.0M

-41.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$596 Rp 10.6M

$2,218 Rp 39.4M

-73.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$911 Rp 16.2M

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

-15.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$372 Rp 6.6M

$277 Rp 4.9M

34.58%

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 Bekasi: September 12, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $204 in Bekasi and $282 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bekasi pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Bekasi vs $12.00 in Surabaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $211 per month, with Surabaya 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 2% in total monthly costs ($664 vs $676 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 35% 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: $204 in Bekasi versus $282 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Surabaya pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $664 per month in Bekasi versus $676 in Surabaya – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bekasi 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 Bekasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.