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: $666 in Jambi versus $700 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,040 in Jambi versus $1,117 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,413 in Jambi versus $1,535 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 50% lower, Surabaya 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.66 Rp 30.1K

$1.52 Rp 27.7K

9.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.48 Rp 335.2K

$12.46 Rp 226.0K

48.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.47 Rp 63.0K

$3.13 Rp 56.8K

10.86%

Cappuccino

$1.47 Rp 26.7K

$1.74 Rp 31.5K

-15.52%

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

$1.26 Rp 22.8K

$0.66 Rp 11.9K

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 Rp 3,795

$0.28 Rp 5,079

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 Rp 44.1K

$2.50 Rp 45.3K

-2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 Rp 45.3K

$3.92 Rp 71.1K

-36.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 Rp 21.5K

$1.42 Rp 25.8K

-16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

$1.50 Rp 27.2K

-24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 17.1K

$0.93 Rp 16.9K

1.08%

Eggs

$1.57 Rp 28.5K

$1.50 Rp 27.2K

4.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 Rp 143.2K

$9.31 Rp 168.8K

-15.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 56.0K

$3.17 Rp 57.6K

-2.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.11 Rp 147.1K

$8.19 Rp 148.6K

-0.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 42.4K

$2.40 Rp 43.5K

-2.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

-0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.7K

$2.17 Rp 39.3K

-17.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.4K

$1.42 Rp 25.7K

6.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.8K

$1.38 Rp 25.0K

-0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 35.2K

$1.78 Rp 32.3K

8.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.6K

$1.16 Rp 21.0K

-21.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,576

$0.45 Rp 8,198

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

$2.44 Rp 44.2K

1.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.84 Rp 396.0K

$24.54 Rp 445.1K

-11.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 Rp 38.1K

$1.83 Rp 33.2K

14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 55.7K

$3.27 Rp 59.3K

-6.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,414

$0.47 Rp 8,599

-36.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.58 Rp 173.7K

$9.14 Rp 165.8K

4.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,585

$0.47 Rp 8,534

12.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,760

$0.31 Rp 5,637

19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 Rp 52.7K

$2.75 Rp 49.9K

5.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$0.87 Rp 15.8K

-9.20%

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

$25.0K Rp 452.9M

$20.8K Rp 378.0M

19.82%

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

$27.5K Rp 498.8M

$34.9K Rp 632.4M

-21.11%

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

$69.6 Rp 1.3M

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

-17.10%

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

$4.19 Rp 76.0K

$4.10 Rp 74.4K

2.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.18 Rp 420.4K

$19.83 Rp 359.7K

16.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.22 Rp 312.4K

$21.93 Rp 397.8K

-21.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.11 Rp 110.8K

$4.44 Rp 80.5K

37.61%

Cinema Ticket

$2.72 Rp 49.3K

$2.96 Rp 53.7K

-8.11%

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

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

$192 Rp 3.5M

-50.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,698 Rp 139.6M

$9,350 Rp 169.6M

-17.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.73 Rp 756.7K

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-33.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.43 Rp 551.9K

$39.45 Rp 715.5K

-22.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-12.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 Rp 1.3M

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-10.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 Rp 4.8M

$244 Rp 4.4M

8.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.9M

$135 Rp 2.4M

17.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 Rp 10.7M

$762 Rp 13.8M

-22.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 Rp 6.0M

$389 Rp 7.1M

-14.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,178 Rp 21.4M

$2,223 Rp 40.3M

-46.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$636 Rp 11.5M

$1,057 Rp 19.2M

-39.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 Rp 3.6M

$269 Rp 4.9M

-25.41%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $263 in Jambi and $244 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: $18.00 in Jambi vs $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $227, 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 ($666 vs $700 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Surabaya earns 34% less. 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: $263 in Jambi versus $244 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $666 per month in Jambi versus $700 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 5% 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.