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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $836 per month in Jakarta vs $652 in Surakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,355 per month in Jakarta vs $991 in Surakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,875 per month in Jakarta vs $1,330 in Surakarta, rent included.

Jakarta costs about 28% more than Surakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jakarta and Surakarta are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 37% lower, Surakarta 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.00 Rp 54.1K

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.33 Rp 330.8K

$12.08 Rp 218.0K

51.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.50 Rp 63.3K

$3.05 Rp 55.1K

14.75%

Cappuccino

$2.14 Rp 38.7K

$1.72 Rp 31.1K

24.42%

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

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

$0.60 Rp 10.9K

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,691

$0.25 Rp 4,483

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 Rp 48.5K

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

50.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 78.8K

$2.89 Rp 52.1K

50.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 Rp 23.9K

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 20.0K

$0.87 Rp 15.8K

27.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 Rp 18.5K

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

34.21%

Eggs

$1.82 Rp 32.9K

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

45.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 Rp 114.9K

$9.35 Rp 168.8K

-31.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.15 Rp 56.8K

$2.86 Rp 51.7K

10.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 Rp 142.4K

$7.32 Rp 132.2K

7.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$2.30 Rp 41.6K

26.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.4K

$1.47 Rp 26.6K

10.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.4K

$2.11 Rp 38.2K

6.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

10.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 31.4K

$1.32 Rp 23.9K

31.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 Rp 45.5K

$1.68 Rp 30.2K

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

64.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,159

$0.45 Rp 8,158

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 Rp 53.4K

$2.17 Rp 39.2K

36.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.43 Rp 386.9K

$8.23 Rp 148.6K

160.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 Rp 40.4K

$1.83 Rp 33.0K

22.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 57.1K

$3.22 Rp 58.1K

-1.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 Rp 4,159

$0.45 Rp 8,102

-48.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 Rp 219.5K

$10.09 Rp 182.2K

20.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,528

$0.47 Rp 8,523

12.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,784

$0.31 Rp 5,597

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 Rp 53.9K

$2.78 Rp 50.3K

7.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

-3.61%

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

$30.2K Rp 545.6M

$21.1K Rp 380.8M

43.27%

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

$33.6K Rp 607.0M

$35.3K Rp 636.5M

-4.64%

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

$93.0 Rp 1.7M

$84.1 Rp 1.5M

10.65%

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

$6.50 Rp 117.3K

$2.23 Rp 40.2K

191.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.87 Rp 485.0K

$19.64 Rp 354.5K

36.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.66 Rp 535.4K

$20.09 Rp 362.6K

47.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 Rp 222.3K

$6.13 Rp 110.7K

100.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 Rp 54.9K

$2.09 Rp 37.8K

45.45%

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

$165 Rp 3.0M

$36.76 Rp 663.6K

350.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,773 Rp 176.4M

$2,073 Rp 37.4M

371.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 Rp 1.0M

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-10.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.95 Rp 594.9K

$38.17 Rp 689.1K

-13.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

$77.1 Rp 1.4M

7.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 Rp 1.6M

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

24.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 Rp 7.0M

$261 Rp 4.7M

47.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.2M

$160 Rp 2.9M

44.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 Rp 21.1M

$594 Rp 10.7M

97.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 Rp 11.7M

$338 Rp 6.1M

91.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,979 Rp 53.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,426 Rp 25.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$419 Rp 7.6M

$158 Rp 2.9M

165.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

8.33

15.13%

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

Last update for Jakarta: July 25, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Jakarta versus $261 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 165% 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 $18.00 in Jakarta versus $12.00 in Surakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $176 – 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 28% 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 $1,254 per month in Jakarta and $978 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 $165 per month in Jakarta and $36.76 in Surakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $836 in Jakarta and $652 in Surakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surakarta costs $652 versus $836 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.