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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $580 per month in Manado vs $702 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $887 per month in Manado vs $1,129 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,194 per month in Manado vs $1,557 in Surabaya, rent included.

Manado is about 17% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manado and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Manado 56% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

$1.56 Rp 28.3K

-23.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.03 Rp 163.3K

$12.42 Rp 224.6K

-27.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.08 Rp 55.8K

$3.03 Rp 54.7K

1.65%

Cappuccino

$1.68 Rp 30.4K

$1.76 Rp 31.7K

-4.55%

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

$0.32 Rp 5,829

$0.66 Rp 11.9K

-51.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,707

$0.28 Rp 5,104

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 Rp 64.9K

$2.44 Rp 44.1K

47.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 Rp 108.4K

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

46.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

-18.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 Rp 16.2K

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

-41.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 Rp 14.2K

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

-20.41%

Eggs

$1.79 Rp 32.4K

$1.51 Rp 27.3K

18.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 Rp 147.5K

$9.28 Rp 167.7K

-12.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.15 Rp 56.9K

$3.24 Rp 58.5K

-2.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 Rp 142.8K

$8.13 Rp 147.0K

-2.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.6K

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

15.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

$1.50 Rp 27.2K

-2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

$2.18 Rp 39.5K

-13.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

-5.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

5.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

9.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

-15.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 8,000

$0.46 Rp 8,242

-4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

$2.52 Rp 45.6K

-5.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.43 Rp 369.3K

$25.18 Rp 455.2K

-18.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 32.0K

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 Rp 57.5K

$3.30 Rp 59.6K

-3.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 Rp 6,412

$0.44 Rp 8,044

-20.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.73 Rp 175.9K

$9.26 Rp 167.5K

5.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,514

$0.45 Rp 8,128

17.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,717

$0.31 Rp 5,643

19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 Rp 52.5K

$2.74 Rp 49.6K

5.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

-4.60%

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

$24.5K Rp 443.1M

$20.8K Rp 375.4M

18.03%

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

$28.0K Rp 506.1M

$34.9K Rp 630.2M

-19.69%

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

$24.74 Rp 447.4K

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-70.19%

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

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

4.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.31 Rp 403.4K

$19.44 Rp 351.5K

14.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.33 Rp 331.5K

$21.63 Rp 391.0K

-15.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.11 Rp 110.4K

$4.38 Rp 79.2K

39.50%

Cinema Ticket

$2.62 Rp 47.4K

$2.98 Rp 54.0K

-12.08%

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

$94.9 Rp 1.7M

$186 Rp 3.4M

-49.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 Rp 94.6M

$9,266 Rp 167.5M

-43.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 Rp 1.1M

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-2.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.26 Rp 438.7K

$38.49 Rp 696.0K

-36.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

$76.9 Rp 1.4M

23.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

-12.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 Rp 5.9M

$249 Rp 4.5M

30.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.8 Rp 1.8M

$138 Rp 2.5M

-27.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 Rp 6.0M

$775 Rp 14.0M

-57.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 Rp 3.4M

$392 Rp 7.1M

-51.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,132 Rp 20.5M

$2,136 Rp 38.6M

-46.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$698 Rp 12.6M

$1,064 Rp 19.2M

-34.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$210 Rp 3.8M

$269 Rp 4.9M

-21.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

20.05%

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

Last update for Manado: July 25, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $324 in Manado versus $249 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 28% 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 $9.00 in Manado versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $228 – making Manado 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 Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $871 per month in Manado and $1,053 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.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $94.9 per month in Manado and $186 in Surabaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $580 in Manado and $702 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.