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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $603 per month in Manado vs $693 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $929 per month in Manado vs $1,106 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,255 per month in Manado vs $1,520 in Surabaya, rent included.

Manado is about 13% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manado and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Manado 55% lower, Surabaya 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.27 Rp 21.9K

$1.58 Rp 27.4K

-19.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.38 Rp 162.6K

$12.16 Rp 210.8K

-22.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 Rp 54.5K

$2.98 Rp 51.7K

5.37%

Cappuccino

$1.66 Rp 28.8K

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

-4.60%

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

$0.32 Rp 5,563

$0.65 Rp 11.4K

-50.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,530

$0.26 Rp 4,460

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 Rp 63.6K

$2.41 Rp 41.8K

52.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 Rp 101.8K

$4.05 Rp 70.3K

44.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 21.2K

$1.44 Rp 25.0K

-15.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 Rp 15.7K

$1.46 Rp 25.2K

-37.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 Rp 12.7K

$1.01 Rp 17.4K

-27.72%

Eggs

$1.82 Rp 31.5K

$1.46 Rp 25.3K

24.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 137.0K

$9.39 Rp 162.7K

-15.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 Rp 53.3K

$3.31 Rp 57.4K

-6.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 Rp 134.1K

$8.24 Rp 142.9K

-6.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 48.8K

$2.30 Rp 39.9K

22.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 25.5K

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

-2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 32.3K

$2.13 Rp 36.9K

-12.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 22.5K

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

-12.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 23.7K

$1.33 Rp 23.0K

3.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.9K

$1.81 Rp 31.3K

4.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

$1.20 Rp 20.9K

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,231

$0.45 Rp 7,874

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 Rp 40.3K

$2.55 Rp 44.3K

-9.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$28.87 Rp 500.3K

$25.75 Rp 446.3K

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 30.3K

$1.85 Rp 32.0K

-5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 Rp 54.8K

$3.14 Rp 54.4K

0.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,602

$0.48 Rp 8,241

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.60 Rp 166.4K

$9.24 Rp 160.1K

3.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,323

$0.45 Rp 7,715

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,421

$0.31 Rp 5,453

19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 Rp 51.3K

$2.72 Rp 47.2K

8.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 13.9K

$0.85 Rp 14.7K

-5.88%

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

$24.7K Rp 427.7M

$21.0K Rp 364.5M

17.36%

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

$27.2K Rp 470.7M

$35.7K Rp 619.1M

-23.96%

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

$24.75 Rp 428.9K

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

-70.47%

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

$4.32 Rp 74.9K

$4.29 Rp 74.3K

0.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.13 Rp 400.9K

$19.62 Rp 340.1K

17.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.53 Rp 321.2K

$21.80 Rp 377.9K

-15.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 Rp 106.0K

$4.42 Rp 76.5K

38.46%

Cinema Ticket

$2.66 Rp 46.1K

$2.98 Rp 51.7K

-10.74%

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

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

$186 Rp 3.2M

-50.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,155 Rp 89.3M

$9,464 Rp 164.0M

-45.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

$62.8 Rp 1.1M

-2.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.46 Rp 424.0K

$39.18 Rp 679.1K

-37.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 Rp 1.6M

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

19.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

$82.3 Rp 1.4M

-9.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 Rp 5.7M

$244 Rp 4.2M

34.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

$135 Rp 2.3M

-26.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 Rp 5.7M

$790 Rp 13.7M

-58.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.2M

$394 Rp 6.8M

-52.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,203 Rp 20.9M

$2,262 Rp 39.2M

-46.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$782 Rp 13.6M

$1,122 Rp 19.4M

-30.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 Rp 3.8M

$302 Rp 5.2M

-26.85%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $328 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 37% 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: $221 vs $230 – 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 15%, 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 $905 per month in Manado and $1,039 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 4% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $92.1 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 $603 in Manado and $693 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.