Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwalior and Surakarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwalior and Surakarta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $370 in Gwalior versus $652 in Surakarta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $581 in Gwalior versus $1,001 in Surakarta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $793 in Gwalior versus $1,351 in Surakarta.

Living in Gwalior costs roughly 43% less than in Surakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gwalior 72% lower, Surakarta 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 ₹198

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

31.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.54 ₹1,111

$12.42 Rp 222.2K

-7.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.19 ₹307

$3.10 Rp 55.4K

2.90%

Cappuccino

$1.47 ₹142

$1.66 Rp 29.7K

-11.45%

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

$0.27 ₹25.99

$0.56 Rp 9,990

-51.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.86

$0.27 Rp 4,868

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 ₹150

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

-13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₹217

$2.98 Rp 53.4K

-24.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 ₹69.0

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 ₹40.60

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

-48.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 ₹67.5

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

-6.67%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹92.5

$1.23 Rp 22.1K

-21.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.97 ₹478

$9.38 Rp 167.8K

-47.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.88 ₹278

$2.87 Rp 51.3K

0.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.20 Rp 128.9K

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 ₹139

$2.30 Rp 41.2K

-36.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 ₹56.8

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

-60.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.6

$2.20 Rp 39.4K

-66.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.64

$1.36 Rp 24.3K

-61.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 ₹26.90

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

-79.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.46

$1.64 Rp 29.4K

-75.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₹64.8

$0.62 Rp 11.1K

8.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹30.28

$0.42 Rp 7,560

-26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ₹384

$2.13 Rp 38.2K

87.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 ₹802

$8.32 Rp 148.8K

0.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹161

$1.85 Rp 33.1K

-9.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 ₹346

$3.25 Rp 58.2K

10.77%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.58 ₹537

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.04

$0.41 Rp 7,367

-46.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.84 ₹370

$9.85 Rp 176.2K

-61.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₹57.6

$0.45 Rp 8,010

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 ₹17.10

$0.31 Rp 5,610

-41.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 ₹111

$2.77 Rp 49.6K

-58.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

44.87%

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

$11.6K ₹1.1M

$21.1K Rp 377.5M

-44.93%

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

$16.5K ₹1.6M

$35.7K Rp 639.0M

-53.81%

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

$51.2 ₹4,926

$84.6 Rp 1.5M

-39.53%

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

$3.24 ₹312

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

42.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.45 ₹525

$19.55 Rp 349.7K

-72.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.94 ₹1,246

$19.94 Rp 356.7K

-35.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 ₹695

$6.32 Rp 113.0K

14.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 ₹400

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

87.78%

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

$36.92 ₹3,555

$36.42 Rp 651.5K

1.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$845 ₹81.3K

$2,102 Rp 37.6M

-59.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.20 ₹2,619

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

-55.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.51 ₹3,034

$38.66 Rp 691.6K

-18.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.11 ₹3,862

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

-48.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.27 ₹1,759

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

-75.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 ₹10.7K

$254 Rp 4.5M

-56.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.6 ₹7,085

$161 Rp 2.9M

-54.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 ₹19.2K

$581 Rp 10.4M

-65.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 ₹13.6K

$328 Rp 5.9M

-56.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$584 ₹56.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$319 ₹30.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$531 ₹51.1K

$157 Rp 2.8M

237.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.49

8.33

1.92%

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

Last update for Gwalior: July 13, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $111 in Gwalior and $254 in Surakarta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwalior pays 238% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Gwalior vs $12.00 in Surakarta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $104 vs $176 per month, with Gwalior 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

Gwalior vs Surakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gwalior wins on cost – living expenses run 76% lower than in Surakarta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gwalior the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 238% higher in Gwalior, 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: $111 in Gwalior versus $254 in Surakarta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $370 per month in Gwalior versus $652 in Surakarta – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gwalior runs roughly 157% less than in Surakarta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Gwalior 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 Gwalior gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Surakarta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.