Cost of Living Comparison Between Karawang and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Karawang and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $448 per month in Karawang vs $685 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $815 per month in Karawang vs $1,197 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,182 per month in Karawang vs $1,710 in Surabaya, rent included.

Karawang is about 35% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Karawang and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Karawang 67% lower, Surabaya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.42 Rp 25.3K

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

-8.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.29 Rp 200.6K

$11.28 Rp 200.6K

0.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.45 Rp 61.4K

$2.98 Rp 53.0K

15.77%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.9K

$1.62 Rp 28.9K

-6.79%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,183

$0.56 Rp 9,900

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 Rp 3,550

$0.26 Rp 4,573

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 Rp 53.5K

$2.30 Rp 40.9K

30.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 Rp 54.2K

$4.12 Rp 73.3K

-25.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-11.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

$1.33 Rp 23.7K

-26.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$0.83 Rp 14.7K

3.61%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

$1.23 Rp 21.9K

16.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 48.7K

$7.67 Rp 136.4K

-64.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 50.1K

$3.07 Rp 54.5K

-8.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 Rp 137.9K

$7.53 Rp 133.8K

3.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.2K

$2.09 Rp 37.2K

-13.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

-17.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

$1.91 Rp 34.0K

-35.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 Rp 9,104

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

-66.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

-31.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.3K

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

-22.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 Rp 11.6K

$0.92 Rp 16.4K

-29.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,709

$0.43 Rp 7,619

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 Rp 47.5K

$1.93 Rp 34.2K

38.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.86 Rp 406.3K

$25.10 Rp 446.2K

-8.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 Rp 32.4K

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.4K

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

10.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 Rp 10.5K

$0.32 Rp 5,640

84.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$0.51 Rp 9,015

70.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 Rp 9,819

$0.47 Rp 8,277

17.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$2.60 Rp 46.2K

-55.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.1K

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

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

$21.4K Rp 381.2M

$24.7K Rp 439.7M

-13.31%

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

$29.4K Rp 522.4M

$32.2K Rp 571.9M

-8.65%

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

$33.67 Rp 598.5K

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-62.03%

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

$4.27 Rp 76.0K

$4.78 Rp 85.0K

-10.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.52 Rp 222.5K

$19.29 Rp 342.9K

-35.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.05 Rp 356.4K

$18.24 Rp 324.3K

9.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.54 Rp 151.8K

$6.71 Rp 119.2K

27.27%

Cinema Ticket

$2.83 Rp 50.3K

$2.58 Rp 45.9K

9.69%

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

$43.30 Rp 769.6K

$279 Rp 5.0M

-84.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,440 Rp 150.0M

$8,074 Rp 143.5M

4.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.60 Rp 295.0K

$70.7 Rp 1.3M

-76.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.01 Rp 497.8K

$39.64 Rp 704.6K

-29.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.61 Rp 881.7K

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

-39.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.89 Rp 869.0K

$74.2 Rp 1.3M

-34.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$139 Rp 2.5M

$280 Rp 5.0M

-50.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

$146 Rp 2.6M

-52.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 Rp 9.8M

$1,241 Rp 22.1M

-55.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 Rp 6.5M

$602 Rp 10.7M

-39.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,171 Rp 20.8M

$2,202 Rp 39.1M

-46.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$696 Rp 12.4M

$1,089 Rp 19.3M

-36.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$404 Rp 7.2M

$270 Rp 4.8M

49.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

7.5

51.73%

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

Last update for Karawang: August 17, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $139 in Karawang versus $280 in Surabaya. 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 50% higher in Karawang, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Karawang versus $11.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $210 – making Karawang 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

Karawang vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surabaya costs about 53% more than Karawang, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $672 per month in Karawang and $1,028 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karawang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $448 in Karawang and $685 in Surabaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $43.30 per month in Karawang and $279 in Surabaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $448 in Karawang and $685 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Karawang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Karawang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surabaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.