Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Surakarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Surakarta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $527 in Surakarta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $849 in Surakarta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,172 in Surakarta.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 336% more expensive than in Surakarta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Surakarta is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

959.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$11.67 Rp 206.6K

438.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$3.14 Rp 55.7K

268.79%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

94.97%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.49 Rp 8,756

408.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.23 Rp 4,051

656.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.43 Rp 25.3K

143.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

18.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

26.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

154.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

94.81%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

294.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$8.02 Rp 142.0K

65.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$1.75 Rp 30.9K

357.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$5.35 Rp 94.8K

237.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.11 Rp 37.4K

11.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

37.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

-4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

74.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

25.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

156.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.41 Rp 7,247

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$2.00 Rp 35.4K

255.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$8.57 Rp 151.7K

-31.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.74 Rp 30.8K

-24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.92 Rp 51.6K

-27.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.39 Rp 6,862

505.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$22.73 Rp 402.5K

105.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.51 Rp 9,109

700.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.47 Rp 8,269

142.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

532.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

216.44%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$25.4K Rp 450.5M

34.14%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$33.5K Rp 592.7M

23.60%

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

$169 €147

$81.3 Rp 1.4M

107.40%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

838.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$18.91 Rp 334.8K

77.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$16.12 Rp 285.5K

202.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$8.56 Rp 151.6K

126.99%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$2.00 Rp 35.5K

378.50%

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

$696 €607

$33.61 Rp 595.2K

1970.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$1,873 Rp 33.2M

826.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$59.2 Rp 1.0M

77.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$36.91 Rp 653.5K

29.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

40.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

84.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$167 Rp 3.0M

894.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$57.0 Rp 1.0M

2087.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$341 Rp 6.0M

769.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$197 Rp 3.5M

940.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$163 Rp 2.9M

901.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

7.5

-49.60%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $167 in Surakarta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 902% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $12.00 in Surakarta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $152 per month, with Surakarta cheaper across the board.

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

Lisbon vs Surakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Surakarta differ by about 336% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $527 including rent). Surakarta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 902% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $167 in Surakarta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $33.61 in Surakarta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $527 in Surakarta versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surakarta but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Surakarta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Surakarta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Surakarta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 336% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.