Cost of Living Comparison Between Binjai and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Binjai and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $630 in Binjai versus $676 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $999 in Binjai versus $1,202 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,368 in Binjai versus $1,728 in Surabaya.

Living in Binjai costs roughly 7% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Binjai 54% lower, Surabaya 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

8.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.39 Rp 237.1K

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

16.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.68 Rp 65.1K

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

13.23%

Cappuccino

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

-5.06%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,358

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

-32.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 Rp 3,645

$0.26 Rp 4,554

-19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 Rp 44.3K

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 Rp 66.3K

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

-13.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-9.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 Rp 22.2K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

-20.00%

Eggs

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

4.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.58 Rp 116.5K

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

-13.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 48.6K

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

-11.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 Rp 143.1K

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

6.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 Rp 38.0K

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

1.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

9.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

-23.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

-16.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.6K

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

-8.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

-13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 Rp 15.1K

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

-14.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,537

$0.41 Rp 7,186

-9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 Rp 50.1K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

47.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.70 Rp 384.2K

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

-13.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 Rp 46.7K

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

-9.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,483

$0.33 Rp 5,825

-24.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 Rp 9,978

$0.52 Rp 9,236

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 Rp 5,244

$0.43 Rp 7,630

-30.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 Rp 47.1K

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

-3.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

1.30%

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

$26.2K Rp 464.1M

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

5.68%

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

$27.8K Rp 491.5M

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

-14.57%

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

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

-19.97%

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

$4.25 Rp 75.3K

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

-9.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.66 Rp 348.1K

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

0.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.67 Rp 348.2K

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

5.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.88 Rp 139.6K

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

13.22%

Cinema Ticket

$3.16 Rp 55.9K

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

17.04%

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

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

$283 Rp 5.0M

-67.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,718 Rp 136.7M

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

-21.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.81 Rp 704.9K

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

-44.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.09 Rp 444.2K

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

-37.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 Rp 1.2M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-15.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 Rp 1.1M

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

-15.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 Rp 4.4M

$282 Rp 5.0M

-12.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 Rp 2.5M

$150 Rp 2.7M

-6.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 Rp 11.4M

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

-48.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 Rp 6.7M

$619 Rp 11.0M

-38.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,248 Rp 22.1M

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

-43.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$579 Rp 10.2M

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

-46.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

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 Binjai: September 15, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $248 in Binjai and $282 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $13.00 in Binjai vs $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $211, with Binjai 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

Binjai vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binjai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $945 in Binjai and $1,015 in Surabaya to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $248 in Binjai versus $282 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Surabaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $630 per month in Binjai versus $676 in Surabaya – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Binjai 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 Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.