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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $508 per month in Karawang vs $700 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $755 per month in Karawang vs $1,117 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,001 per month in Karawang vs $1,535 in Surabaya, rent included.

Karawang is about 27% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Karawang and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Karawang 62% lower, Surabaya 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

-16.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.97 Rp 160.7K

$12.46 Rp 223.3K

-28.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.36 Rp 60.3K

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

7.35%

Cappuccino

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-16.67%

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

$0.47 Rp 8,442

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

-28.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,314

$0.28 Rp 5,017

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 Rp 62.2K

$2.50 Rp 44.7K

38.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 Rp 62.0K

$3.92 Rp 70.2K

-11.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

-14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-29.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

-4.30%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

1.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

$9.31 Rp 166.7K

-67.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 Rp 53.4K

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

-5.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 Rp 137.0K

$8.19 Rp 146.8K

-6.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 35.2K

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

-18.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

$2.17 Rp 38.8K

-35.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 Rp 9,546

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

-62.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-25.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 Rp 29.7K

$1.78 Rp 31.9K

-6.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,530

$0.45 Rp 8,099

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 Rp 46.8K

$2.44 Rp 43.7K

6.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.71 Rp 388.9K

$24.54 Rp 439.7K

-11.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 Rp 37.5K

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 Rp 61.9K

$3.27 Rp 58.6K

5.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.47 Rp 8,495

51.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.08 Rp 180.6K

$9.14 Rp 163.8K

10.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

$0.47 Rp 8,431

51.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$0.31 Rp 5,569

148.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

-56.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

-2.30%

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

$24.7K Rp 442.6M

$20.8K Rp 373.4M

18.54%

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

$25.8K Rp 462.5M

$34.9K Rp 624.7M

-25.96%

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

$43.12 Rp 772.6K

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

-48.61%

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

$4.55 Rp 81.5K

$4.10 Rp 73.5K

10.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.66 Rp 244.7K

$19.83 Rp 355.3K

-31.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.04 Rp 394.9K

$21.93 Rp 393.0K

0.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.13 Rp 271.1K

$4.44 Rp 79.5K

240.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 Rp 53.8K

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

1.35%

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

$48.25 Rp 864.4K

$192 Rp 3.4M

-74.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,474 Rp 133.9M

$9,350 Rp 167.5M

-20.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.29 Rp 327.6K

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-70.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.36 Rp 543.9K

$39.45 Rp 706.8K

-23.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.8 Rp 945.6K

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-32.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.4 Rp 974.5K

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-33.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.8M

$244 Rp 4.4M

-36.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

$135 Rp 2.4M

-42.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 Rp 4.4M

$762 Rp 13.7M

-67.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 Rp 2.2M

$389 Rp 7.0M

-68.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,141 Rp 20.4M

$2,223 Rp 39.8M

-48.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$643 Rp 11.5M

$1,057 Rp 18.9M

-39.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$408 Rp 7.3M

$269 Rp 4.8M

51.72%

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 Karawang: June 7, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $154 in Karawang versus $244 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 52% 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 $9.00 in Karawang versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $227 – 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 38% 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 $763 per month in Karawang and $1,050 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Karawang and $12.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $508 in Karawang and $700 in Surabaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $508 in Karawang and $700 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.