Cost of Living Comparison Between Manado and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Manado and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $559 per month in Manado vs $676 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $891 per month in Manado vs $1,202 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,222 per month in Manado vs $1,728 in Surabaya, rent included.

Manado is about 17% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Manado and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Manado 59% lower, Surabaya 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

-20.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.27 Rp 305.4K

$11.51 Rp 203.5K

50.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

$3.25 Rp 57.4K

-15.38%

Cappuccino

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

16.46%

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

$0.58 Rp 10.2K

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

-6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,208

$0.26 Rp 4,548

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 Rp 61.5K

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

56.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 48.6K

$4.36 Rp 77.1K

-36.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 Rp 25.1K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

11.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

-13.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

-17.78%

Eggs

$1.97 Rp 34.8K

$1.23 Rp 21.7K

60.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.35 Rp 306.7K

$7.62 Rp 134.7K

127.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.88 Rp 50.9K

$3.09 Rp 54.7K

-6.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 Rp 112.3K

$7.60 Rp 134.4K

-16.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$2.12 Rp 37.4K

8.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.2K

$1.28 Rp 22.6K

20.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

-29.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

-38.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

-40.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 49.9K

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

38.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 Rp 13.2K

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

-24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,706

$0.41 Rp 7,176

7.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 Rp 42.4K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.77 Rp 367.3K

$25.23 Rp 446.2K

-17.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

$1.77 Rp 31.3K

3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

$2.92 Rp 51.6K

1.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,242

$0.33 Rp 5,816

-9.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,348

$0.52 Rp 9,222

1.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 5,762

$0.43 Rp 7,619

-23.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 Rp 51.5K

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

5.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 Rp 10.8K

$0.77 Rp 13.5K

-20.78%

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

$24.2K Rp 428.7M

$24.8K Rp 438.6M

-2.26%

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

$31.3K Rp 553.4M

$32.5K Rp 574.5M

-3.68%

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

$54.2 Rp 958.4K

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

-37.44%

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

$4.37 Rp 77.3K

$4.68 Rp 82.8K

-6.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.92 Rp 246.1K

$19.47 Rp 344.2K

-28.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.01 Rp 230.1K

$18.72 Rp 331.0K

-30.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 Rp 147.4K

$6.96 Rp 123.0K

19.83%

Cinema Ticket

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

-7.04%

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

$127 Rp 2.3M

$283 Rp 5.0M

-54.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,723 Rp 83.5M

$9,866 Rp 174.4M

-52.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 Rp 1.0M

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

-21.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.47 Rp 362.0K

$40.23 Rp 711.4K

-49.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 Rp 1.3M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-14.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 Rp 1.1M

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

-14.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.5M

$282 Rp 5.0M

-9.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.5 Rp 1.5M

$150 Rp 2.7M

-44.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 Rp 5.5M

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

-75.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 Rp 3.1M

$619 Rp 10.9M

-71.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,197 Rp 21.2M

$2,218 Rp 39.2M

-46.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

-37.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 Rp 3.8M

$277 Rp 4.9M

-23.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

33.33%

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

Last update for Manado: September 12, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Manado 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 30% 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 $17.00 in Manado versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $211 – making Surabaya 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

Manado vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 21%, 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 $839 per month in Manado 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 Manado, 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 $17.00 in Manado and $12.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Surabaya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $559 in Manado and $676 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

If budget matters most, go with Manado. 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.