Cost of Living Comparison Between Jambi and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Jambi and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $652 in Jambi versus $687 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,017 in Jambi versus $1,113 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,381 in Jambi versus $1,540 in Surabaya.

Living in Jambi costs roughly 5% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jambi 51% lower, Surabaya 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

9.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.29 Rp 328.1K

$12.41 Rp 222.6K

47.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 Rp 61.6K

$3.09 Rp 55.4K

11.33%

Cappuccino

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

-20.79%

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

$1.24 Rp 22.3K

$0.61 Rp 10.9K

103.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 Rp 3,759

$0.28 Rp 5,043

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

$2.52 Rp 45.2K

-5.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 Rp 44.8K

$3.91 Rp 70.2K

-36.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

-22.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

-6.38%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

4.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.33 Rp 149.3K

$9.26 Rp 166.1K

-10.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 Rp 55.0K

$3.34 Rp 59.9K

-8.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 Rp 143.1K

$8.17 Rp 146.5K

-2.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

1.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-2.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

-16.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

8.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.0K

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

6.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

-20.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,335

$0.46 Rp 8,244

-10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 Rp 45.8K

$2.54 Rp 45.6K

0.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.18 Rp 397.7K

$25.47 Rp 456.8K

-12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 Rp 36.6K

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

$3.27 Rp 58.7K

-4.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,371

$0.47 Rp 8,500

-36.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.80 Rp 175.7K

$9.17 Rp 164.5K

6.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,547

$0.45 Rp 7,993

17.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,134

$0.31 Rp 5,573

9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Rp 51.1K

$2.70 Rp 48.4K

5.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

-7.32%

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

$24.4K Rp 436.9M

$20.9K Rp 375.5M

16.37%

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

$27.7K Rp 496.8M

$34.9K Rp 625.3M

-20.56%

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

$69.1 Rp 1.2M

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

-16.98%

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

$4.40 Rp 78.9K

$4.12 Rp 74.0K

6.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.34 Rp 400.7K

$19.34 Rp 346.8K

15.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.79 Rp 301.1K

$21.77 Rp 390.4K

-22.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.01 Rp 107.9K

$4.46 Rp 79.9K

34.75%

Cinema Ticket

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

-2.08%

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

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

$186 Rp 3.3M

-48.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,592 Rp 136.2M

$9,359 Rp 167.9M

-18.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.28 Rp 758.2K

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

-30.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.14 Rp 558.4K

$38.67 Rp 693.5K

-19.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

$77.0 Rp 1.4M

-12.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

-10.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.6M

$248 Rp 4.4M

4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.8M

$134 Rp 2.4M

16.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 Rp 10.5M

$784 Rp 14.1M

-25.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 Rp 6.0M

$402 Rp 7.2M

-17.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,111 Rp 19.9M

$2,205 Rp 39.6M

-49.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$769 Rp 13.8M

$1,058 Rp 19.0M

-27.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$203 Rp 3.6M

$268 Rp 4.8M

-24.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

8.33

9.84%

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

Last update for Jambi: July 20, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Jambi and $248 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 32% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Jambi vs $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $228, with Jambi 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

Jambi vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jambi and Surabaya differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($652 vs $687 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Surabaya. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $258 in Jambi versus $248 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $652 per month in Jambi versus $687 in Surabaya – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jambi runs roughly 7% less than in Surabaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Jambi 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 Jambi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.