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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $582 per month in Manado vs $700 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $892 per month in Manado vs $1,117 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,202 per month in Manado vs $1,535 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 57% lower, Surabaya 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

-21.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.45 Rp 169.2K

$12.46 Rp 223.3K

-24.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

-0.64%

Cappuccino

$1.62 Rp 29.1K

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-6.90%

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

$0.30 Rp 5,314

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,685

$0.28 Rp 5,017

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 Rp 67.9K

$2.50 Rp 44.7K

51.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 Rp 101.6K

$3.92 Rp 70.2K

44.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

-17.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-40.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

-19.35%

Eggs

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

26.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 Rp 146.3K

$9.31 Rp 166.7K

-12.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 57.9K

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

1.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.00 Rp 143.3K

$8.19 Rp 146.8K

-2.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 Rp 50.9K

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

18.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$2.17 Rp 38.8K

-17.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.0K

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

-9.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-3.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

$1.78 Rp 31.9K

5.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

-16.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Rp 8,603

$0.45 Rp 8,099

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 Rp 43.6K

$2.44 Rp 43.7K

Wine (Bottle)

$20.81 Rp 372.8K

$24.54 Rp 439.7K

-15.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

$3.27 Rp 58.6K

-1.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 Rp 6,341

$0.47 Rp 8,495

-25.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.11 Rp 181.1K

$9.14 Rp 163.8K

10.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,601

$0.47 Rp 8,431

14.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,652

$0.31 Rp 5,569

19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 Rp 52.5K

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

6.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

-11.49%

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

$24.5K Rp 438.1M

$20.8K Rp 373.4M

17.32%

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

$27.2K Rp 487.3M

$34.9K Rp 624.7M

-22.00%

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

$25.00 Rp 447.8K

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

-70.21%

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

$4.27 Rp 76.4K

$4.10 Rp 73.5K

4.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.32 Rp 400.0K

$19.83 Rp 355.3K

12.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.56 Rp 332.6K

$21.93 Rp 393.0K

-15.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 Rp 109.8K

$4.44 Rp 79.5K

38.06%

Cinema Ticket

$2.54 Rp 45.5K

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

-14.19%

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

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

$192 Rp 3.4M

-50.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,063 Rp 90.7M

$9,350 Rp 167.5M

-45.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.48 Rp 438.6K

$39.45 Rp 706.8K

-37.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

19.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-9.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$322 Rp 5.8M

$244 Rp 4.4M

32.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 Rp 1.8M

$135 Rp 2.4M

-24.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 Rp 5.8M

$762 Rp 13.7M

-57.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.3M

$389 Rp 7.0M

-52.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.1M

$2,223 Rp 39.8M

-47.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$1,057 Rp 18.9M

-36.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 Rp 3.7M

$269 Rp 4.8M

-22.45%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $322 in Manado 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 29% 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: $207 vs $227 – 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 20%, 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 $873 per month in Manado 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 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 11% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $95.2 per month in Manado and $192 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 $582 in Manado and $700 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.