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: $628 in Jambi versus $692 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $991 in Jambi versus $1,196 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,354 in Jambi versus $1,700 in Surabaya.

Living in Jambi costs roughly 9% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jambi 54% lower, Surabaya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

-9.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.57 Rp 221.4K

$11.58 Rp 204.0K

8.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.92 Rp 51.5K

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

-7.01%

Cappuccino

$1.37 Rp 24.1K

$1.59 Rp 28.0K

-13.84%

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

$0.46 Rp 8,113

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

-19.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 Rp 3,774

$0.26 Rp 4,557

-19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$2.31 Rp 40.7K

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 Rp 60.6K

$4.30 Rp 75.8K

-20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

$1.22 Rp 21.4K

-1.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 19.6K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

-13.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.5K

$0.84 Rp 14.7K

4.76%

Eggs

$1.51 Rp 26.6K

$1.21 Rp 21.3K

24.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.31 Rp 111.1K

$7.90 Rp 139.2K

-20.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 Rp 55.9K

$2.97 Rp 52.3K

6.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.28 Rp 128.2K

$7.60 Rp 133.8K

-4.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

$2.13 Rp 37.5K

4.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 Rp 23.1K

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

-1.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

$1.85 Rp 32.6K

-6.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 Rp 21.6K

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

-21.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.6K

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

$2.00 Rp 35.2K

-3.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 Rp 12.0K

$0.97 Rp 17.0K

-29.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,727

$0.43 Rp 7,651

2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 Rp 47.2K

$2.04 Rp 35.9K

31.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.12 Rp 407.1K

$25.91 Rp 456.3K

-10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 Rp 33.1K

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

7.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 Rp 54.4K

$3.03 Rp 53.4K

1.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 Rp 5,458

$0.33 Rp 5,734

-6.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,183

$0.48 Rp 8,413

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,496

$0.46 Rp 8,178

-32.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 Rp 56.9K

$2.73 Rp 48.0K

18.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

-1.23%

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

$24.2K Rp 426.5M

$25.4K Rp 446.5M

-4.48%

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

$29.2K Rp 513.8M

$32.7K Rp 575.4M

-10.70%

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

$64.5 Rp 1.1M

$89.2 Rp 1.6M

-27.67%

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

$4.08 Rp 71.8K

$4.62 Rp 81.4K

-11.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 Rp 319.9K

$19.75 Rp 347.9K

-8.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.26 Rp 268.8K

$18.50 Rp 325.9K

-17.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.00 Rp 158.5K

$6.79 Rp 119.6K

32.55%

Cinema Ticket

$2.75 Rp 48.4K

$2.71 Rp 47.7K

1.48%

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

$91.6 Rp 1.6M

$278 Rp 4.9M

-67.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,065 Rp 124.4M

$9,802 Rp 172.6M

-27.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.03 Rp 705.0K

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

-44.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.35 Rp 446.4K

$40.01 Rp 704.8K

-36.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 Rp 1.3M

$82.2 Rp 1.4M

-11.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.1 Rp 1.1M

$76.4 Rp 1.3M

-18.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.6M

$290 Rp 5.1M

-9.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$150 Rp 2.6M

11.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 Rp 11.0M

$1,277 Rp 22.5M

-50.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 Rp 7.4M

$607 Rp 10.7M

-30.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,137 Rp 20.0M

$2,202 Rp 38.8M

-48.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$709 Rp 12.5M

$1,066 Rp 18.8M

-33.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$208 Rp 3.7M

$279 Rp 4.9M

-25.55%

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 Jambi: September 6, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Jambi and $290 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 34% 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: $13.00 in Jambi vs $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $212, 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 10% in total monthly costs ($628 vs $692 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 34% 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: $262 in Jambi versus $290 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Surabaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $628 per month in Jambi versus $692 in Surabaya – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 10% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.