Cost of Living Comparison Between Mataram and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Mataram and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $578 in Mataram versus $700 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $867 in Mataram versus $1,117 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,157 in Mataram versus $1,535 in Surabaya.

Living in Mataram costs roughly 17% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mataram 57% lower, Surabaya 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

-30.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.01 Rp 197.3K

$12.46 Rp 223.3K

-11.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

-24.92%

Cappuccino

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

7.47%

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

$0.54 Rp 9,705

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,486

$0.28 Rp 5,017

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 Rp 45.4K

$2.50 Rp 44.7K

1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Rp 67.5K

$3.92 Rp 70.2K

-3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

8.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

11.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

-10.75%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.5K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-4.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.19 Rp 57.2K

$9.31 Rp 166.7K

-65.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 Rp 64.2K

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

13.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$8.19 Rp 146.8K

-25.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 29.4K

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

-31.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.7K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.2K

$2.17 Rp 38.8K

-14.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

-47.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 15.0K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

$1.78 Rp 31.9K

5.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 Rp 8,621

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

-58.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 Rp 6,097

$0.45 Rp 8,099

-24.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

$2.44 Rp 43.7K

-26.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 Rp 272.9K

$24.54 Rp 439.7K

-37.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.8K

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

30.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 Rp 68.1K

$3.27 Rp 58.6K

16.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

$0.47 Rp 8,495

36.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.26 Rp 327.2K

$9.14 Rp 163.8K

99.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,057

$0.47 Rp 8,431

8.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,136

$0.31 Rp 5,569

-6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

8.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

-26.44%

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

$23.2K Rp 415.3M

$20.8K Rp 373.4M

11.22%

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

$27.1K Rp 486.3M

$34.9K Rp 624.7M

-22.15%

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

$50.4 Rp 902.3K

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

-39.98%

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

$4.25 Rp 76.2K

$4.10 Rp 73.5K

3.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.16 Rp 343.3K

$19.83 Rp 355.3K

-3.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.28 Rp 470.9K

$21.93 Rp 393.0K

19.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.75 Rp 138.9K

$4.44 Rp 79.5K

74.55%

Cinema Ticket

$2.19 Rp 39.2K

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

-26.01%

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

$90.9 Rp 1.6M

$192 Rp 3.4M

-52.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,244 Rp 76.0M

$9,350 Rp 167.5M

-54.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.49 Rp 671.7K

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-40.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.39 Rp 437.0K

$39.45 Rp 706.8K

-38.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-21.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.32 Rp 722.3K

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-50.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$77.1 Rp 1.4M

$244 Rp 4.4M

-68.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 Rp 2.3M

$135 Rp 2.4M

-5.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$762 Rp 13.7M

-79.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.6M

$389 Rp 7.0M

-34.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,135 Rp 20.3M

$2,223 Rp 39.8M

-48.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$700 Rp 12.5M

$1,057 Rp 18.9M

-33.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$197 Rp 3.5M

$269 Rp 4.8M

-26.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

8.04%

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

Last update for Mataram: June 9, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $77.1 in Mataram and $244 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 37% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $11.00 in Mataram vs $12.00 in Surabaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $227 per month, with Mataram cheaper across the board.

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

Mataram vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mataram and Surabaya differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($578 vs $700 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Surabaya earns 37% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $77.1 in Mataram versus $244 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Surabaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mataram – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $12.00 in Surabaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Mataram gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mataram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.