Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Surakarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Surakarta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $815 per month in Jakarta vs $527 in Surakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,325 per month in Jakarta vs $849 in Surakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,834 per month in Jakarta vs $1,172 in Surakarta, rent included.

Jakarta costs about 55% more than Surakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jakarta and Surakarta are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 40% lower, Surakarta 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.49 Rp 44.0K

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.86 Rp 280.9K

$11.67 Rp 206.6K

35.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.43 Rp 60.8K

$3.14 Rp 55.7K

9.24%

Cappuccino

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

29.56%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,520

$0.49 Rp 8,756

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,614

$0.23 Rp 4,051

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 Rp 47.0K

$1.43 Rp 25.3K

85.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 Rp 68.9K

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

34.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

60.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 14.9K

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

9.09%

Eggs

$1.76 Rp 31.1K

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

74.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 Rp 173.8K

$8.02 Rp 142.0K

22.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 Rp 53.0K

$1.75 Rp 30.9K

70.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 Rp 135.7K

$5.35 Rp 94.8K

43.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 Rp 50.8K

$2.11 Rp 37.4K

36.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

7.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 Rp 46.9K

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

36.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.3K

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

-6.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

-2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 Rp 37.2K

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

25.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 Rp 16.5K

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

60.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,092

$0.41 Rp 7,247

24.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 Rp 50.4K

$2.00 Rp 35.4K

42.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.74 Rp 384.9K

$8.57 Rp 151.7K

153.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$1.74 Rp 30.8K

21.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 Rp 57.0K

$2.92 Rp 51.6K

10.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,206

$0.39 Rp 6,862

-25.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 Rp 207.6K

$22.73 Rp 402.5K

-48.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,420

$0.51 Rp 9,109

3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 Rp 6,293

$0.47 Rp 8,269

-23.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Rp 58.4K

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

22.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

6.85%

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

$28.7K Rp 507.9M

$25.4K Rp 450.5M

12.75%

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

$33.4K Rp 590.9M

$33.5K Rp 592.7M

-0.31%

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

$108 Rp 1.9M

$81.3 Rp 1.4M

32.69%

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

$6.07 Rp 107.5K

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

194.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.01 Rp 336.7K

$18.91 Rp 334.8K

0.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.63 Rp 471.5K

$16.12 Rp 285.5K

65.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.81 Rp 244.5K

$8.56 Rp 151.6K

61.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$2.00 Rp 35.5K

72.00%

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

$155 Rp 2.7M

$33.61 Rp 595.2K

360.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,224 Rp 145.6M

$1,873 Rp 33.2M

339.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 Rp 1.1M

$59.2 Rp 1.0M

1.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 Rp 506.9K

$36.91 Rp 653.5K

-22.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

2.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 Rp 1.9M

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

63.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 Rp 6.4M

$167 Rp 3.0M

117.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 Rp 3.6M

$57.0 Rp 1.0M

257.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 Rp 20.9M

$341 Rp 6.0M

245.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 Rp 10.3M

$197 Rp 3.5M

195.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,009 Rp 53.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 Rp 26.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$460 Rp 8.1M

$163 Rp 2.9M

182.06%

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $363 in Jakarta versus $167 in Surakarta. 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 182% 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 $16.00 in Jakarta versus $12.00 in Surakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $152 – making Surakarta 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 Surakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakarta costs about 55% more than Surakarta, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,223 per month in Jakarta and $790 in Surakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $155 per month in Jakarta and $33.61 in Surakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $815 in Jakarta and $527 in Surakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surakarta costs $527 versus $815 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 Surakarta. 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.