Cost of Living Comparison Between Malang and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Malang and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $476 per month in Malang vs $676 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $743 per month in Malang vs $1,202 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,010 per month in Malang vs $1,728 in Surabaya, rent included.

Malang is about 30% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Malang and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Malang 65% lower, Surabaya 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

-35.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.32 Rp 200.4K

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

-1.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.88 Rp 50.9K

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

-11.38%

Cappuccino

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

-18.35%

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

$0.60 Rp 10.6K

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

-3.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 Rp 3,885

$0.26 Rp 4,554

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 Rp 73.1K

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

-5.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.4K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

-11.11%

Eggs

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

3.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 Rp 107.0K

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

-20.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 Rp 55.1K

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

0.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.25 Rp 128.5K

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

-4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 Rp 36.1K

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

-3.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 22.8K

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

-19.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

-5.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

-5.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 Rp 8,976

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

-48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,221

$0.41 Rp 7,186

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

43.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 Rp 222.1K

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

-50.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 Rp 31.2K

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 Rp 52.4K

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

1.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

$0.33 Rp 5,825

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.58 Rp 98.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,540

$0.52 Rp 9,236

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 Rp 6,837

$0.43 Rp 7,630

-9.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 Rp 100.7K

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

106.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 Rp 12.1K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-10.39%

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

$25.8K Rp 456.7M

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

3.98%

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

$28.1K Rp 497.3M

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

-13.57%

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

$31.73 Rp 561.8K

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

-63.38%

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

$2.46 Rp 43.5K

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

-47.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.00 Rp 354.2K

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

2.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.87 Rp 263.3K

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

-20.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.71 Rp 83.4K

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

-32.33%

Cinema Ticket

$1.97 Rp 34.8K

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

-27.04%

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

$31.19 Rp 552.3K

$283 Rp 5.0M

-88.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,663 Rp 171.1M

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

-2.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 Rp 1.0M

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

-21.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.07 Rp 408.5K

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

-42.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.6 Rp 914.4K

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-37.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.37 Rp 644.0K

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

-52.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$140 Rp 2.5M

$282 Rp 5.0M

-50.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

$150 Rp 2.7M

-38.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

-84.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.7M

$619 Rp 11.0M

-75.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$208 Rp 3.7M

$277 Rp 4.9M

-24.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

-46.67%

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

Last update for Malang: September 14, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $140 in Malang versus $282 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 33% higher in Surabaya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Malang versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $211 – making Malang 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

Malang vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $713 per month in Malang and $1,015 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malang, 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 $11.00 in Malang and $12.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Surabaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $476 in Malang and $676 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Malang – 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 Malang. 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.