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: $668 in Jambi versus $689 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,041 in Jambi versus $1,115 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,414 in Jambi versus $1,542 in Surabaya.

Living in Jambi costs roughly 3% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jambi 50% lower, Surabaya 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 28.7K

$1.52 Rp 26.2K

9.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.52 Rp 318.3K

$12.11 Rp 208.2K

52.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.32 Rp 57.1K

$3.10 Rp 53.2K

7.10%

Cappuccino

$1.41 Rp 24.2K

$1.81 Rp 31.1K

-22.10%

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

$1.26 Rp 21.7K

$0.65 Rp 11.2K

93.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 3,954

$0.28 Rp 4,872

-17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 Rp 43.5K

$2.41 Rp 41.4K

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 Rp 42.7K

$4.04 Rp 69.4K

-38.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$1.44 Rp 24.8K

-15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.1K

$1.49 Rp 25.7K

-21.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.3K

$0.92 Rp 15.9K

-3.26%

Eggs

$1.54 Rp 26.5K

$1.51 Rp 26.0K

1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 Rp 136.4K

$9.21 Rp 158.3K

-13.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 Rp 53.8K

$3.35 Rp 57.6K

-6.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 Rp 132.8K

$8.17 Rp 140.5K

-5.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 41.5K

$2.32 Rp 39.8K

3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 25.7K

$1.48 Rp 25.4K

1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 31.8K

$2.09 Rp 36.0K

-11.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 26.9K

$1.44 Rp 24.7K

9.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 23.9K

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 32.5K

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

5.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

$1.15 Rp 19.8K

-15.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,673

$0.43 Rp 7,323

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 Rp 44.0K

$2.46 Rp 42.2K

4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.65 Rp 406.4K

$26.02 Rp 447.1K

-9.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 Rp 35.9K

$1.77 Rp 30.4K

18.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 Rp 53.3K

$3.32 Rp 57.1K

-6.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,582

$0.48 Rp 8,202

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.03 Rp 172.3K

$9.47 Rp 162.7K

5.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,242

$0.44 Rp 7,580

22.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 5,941

$0.31 Rp 5,358

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Rp 49.0K

$2.70 Rp 46.4K

5.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.2K

$0.86 Rp 14.8K

-3.49%

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

$25.0K Rp 429.7M

$21.2K Rp 364.4M

17.91%

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

$27.2K Rp 466.6M

$34.6K Rp 594.4M

-21.50%

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

$69.8 Rp 1.2M

$83.8 Rp 1.4M

-16.80%

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

$4.39 Rp 75.4K

$4.17 Rp 71.7K

5.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.54 Rp 387.4K

$19.55 Rp 336.0K

15.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.21 Rp 295.7K

$21.75 Rp 373.7K

-20.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.27 Rp 107.8K

$4.36 Rp 75.0K

43.81%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 Rp 47.9K

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

-6.06%

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

$93.9 Rp 1.6M

$190 Rp 3.3M

-50.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,452 Rp 128.1M

$9,220 Rp 158.5M

-19.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.00 Rp 721.7K

$62.5 Rp 1.1M

-32.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.46 Rp 523.5K

$38.60 Rp 663.4K

-21.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.5 Rp 1.2M

$76.3 Rp 1.3M

-11.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 Rp 1.3M

$82.9 Rp 1.4M

-11.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.4M

$249 Rp 4.3M

3.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.7M

$137 Rp 2.4M

15.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 Rp 10.1M

$764 Rp 13.1M

-23.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 Rp 5.7M

$400 Rp 6.9M

-16.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,200 Rp 20.6M

$2,309 Rp 39.7M

-48.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$837 Rp 14.4M

$1,123 Rp 19.3M

-25.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$217 Rp 3.7M

$304 Rp 5.2M

-28.73%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $257 in Jambi and $249 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 40% 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: $19 in Jambi vs $12 in Surabaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $214 vs $229, 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 3% in total monthly costs ($668 vs $689 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Surabaya earns 40% 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: $257 in Jambi versus $249 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $668 per month in Jambi versus $689 in Surabaya – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jambi runs roughly 6% 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 3% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.