Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $799 per month in Jakarta vs $688 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,304 per month in Jakarta vs $1,205 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,809 per month in Jakarta vs $1,722 in Surabaya, rent included.

Jakarta costs about 16% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jakarta and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 42% lower, Surabaya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.61 Rp 46.0K

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

57.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.12 Rp 301.7K

$11.40 Rp 201.0K

50.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.46 Rp 61.0K

$3.24 Rp 57.2K

6.79%

Cappuccino

$1.96 Rp 34.6K

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

25.64%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,410

$0.56 Rp 9,841

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,765

$0.26 Rp 4,572

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

16.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 Rp 69.2K

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

-10.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 Rp 25.0K

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

17.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

-17.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 Rp 16.3K

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

6.98%

Eggs

$1.80 Rp 31.8K

$1.21 Rp 21.2K

48.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 Rp 171.4K

$7.80 Rp 137.5K

24.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 Rp 53.1K

$2.96 Rp 52.2K

1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 Rp 137.1K

$7.87 Rp 138.8K

-1.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 Rp 51.5K

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

44.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 Rp 46.9K

$1.87 Rp 32.9K

42.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 24.0K

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

-10.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 Rp 24.8K

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

2.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 Rp 37.0K

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

8.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.4K

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

2.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Rp 8,492

$0.40 Rp 7,050

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 Rp 50.9K

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

46.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.58 Rp 380.4K

$25.35 Rp 447.0K

-14.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 Rp 38.0K

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

25.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 Rp 53.7K

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

5.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,747

$0.36 Rp 6,271

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.93 Rp 210.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,616

$0.47 Rp 8,334

4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,252

$0.47 Rp 8,293

-25.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 Rp 60.3K

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

26.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.7K

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

-2.50%

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

$27.9K Rp 492.5M

$24.7K Rp 435.5M

13.08%

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

$34.1K Rp 600.3M

$33.1K Rp 583.3M

2.92%

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

$110 Rp 1.9M

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

23.30%

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

$5.82 Rp 102.7K

$4.83 Rp 85.2K

20.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.33 Rp 340.8K

$19.84 Rp 349.7K

-2.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.69 Rp 470.5K

$18.57 Rp 327.4K

43.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.24 Rp 251.1K

$6.54 Rp 115.3K

117.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 58.1K

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

24.15%

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

$156 Rp 2.7M

$286 Rp 5.0M

-45.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,348 Rp 147.2M

$9,694 Rp 170.9M

-13.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 Rp 1.1M

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

-15.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.59 Rp 539.3K

$39.47 Rp 695.8K

-22.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-9.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Rp 1.9M

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

42.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 Rp 6.4M

$290 Rp 5.1M

25.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 Rp 3.5M

$150 Rp 2.6M

33.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 Rp 20.8M

$1,276 Rp 22.5M

-7.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 Rp 10.2M

$618 Rp 10.9M

-6.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,054 Rp 53.8M

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

36.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,485 Rp 26.2M

$1,073 Rp 18.9M

38.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$454 Rp 8.0M

$277 Rp 4.9M

63.62%

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 Jakarta: August 29, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $364 in Jakarta versus $290 in Surabaya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 64% higher in Jakarta, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Jakarta versus $11.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $211 – making Surabaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Jakarta vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakarta costs about 16% more than Surabaya, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,198 per month in Jakarta and $1,032 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surabaya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Jakarta and $11.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Jakarta, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $799 in Jakarta and $688 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surabaya costs $688 versus $799 in Jakarta. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Surabaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jakarta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.