Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $640 in Medan versus $702 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $988 in Medan versus $1,117 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,336 in Medan versus $1,532 in Surabaya.

Living in Medan costs roughly 9% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medan 52% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

18.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.72 Rp 191.8K

$12.11 Rp 216.6K

-11.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 58.7K

$3.05 Rp 54.6K

7.54%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

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

$0.39 Rp 7,031

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

-39.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,855

$0.28 Rp 5,026

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

-35.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 Rp 93.8K

$4.09 Rp 73.1K

28.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.38 Rp 24.6K

-14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-21.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

-11.70%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

2.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 168.1K

$9.24 Rp 165.3K

1.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 66.4K

$3.19 Rp 57.0K

16.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.83 Rp 122.2K

$8.13 Rp 145.4K

-15.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

$2.41 Rp 43.1K

-3.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

-35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-30.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-41.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$1.33 Rp 23.7K

-43.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

-26.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 Rp 8,138

$1.19 Rp 21.3K

-62.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,778

$0.45 Rp 8,054

8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.3K

$2.45 Rp 43.9K

1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 Rp 284.5K

$25.13 Rp 449.6K

-36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 Rp 24.3K

$1.86 Rp 33.3K

-26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.7K

$3.31 Rp 59.2K

-4.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,810

$0.44 Rp 7,825

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 Rp 171.5K

$9.48 Rp 169.6K

1.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$0.48 Rp 8,553

20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,944

$0.31 Rp 5,590

-29.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 Rp 110.5K

$2.73 Rp 48.8K

126.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

-4.65%

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

$28.0K Rp 501.3M

$20.5K Rp 367.0M

36.60%

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

$33.9K Rp 606.5M

$35.0K Rp 626.9M

-3.26%

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

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

0.83%

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

$3.67 Rp 65.7K

$4.31 Rp 77.2K

-14.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.25 Rp 612.7K

$19.61 Rp 350.9K

74.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 Rp 415.1K

$21.82 Rp 390.4K

6.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 Rp 127.4K

$4.59 Rp 82.2K

55.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

$2.87 Rp 51.4K

21.60%

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

$123 Rp 2.2M

$186 Rp 3.3M

-34.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

$9,556 Rp 170.9M

10.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

5.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.18 Rp 754.5K

$38.85 Rp 695.0K

8.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 Rp 2.1M

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

48.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

-21.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$244 Rp 4.4M

-19.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 Rp 1.8M

$136 Rp 2.4M

-26.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 Rp 9.5M

$792 Rp 14.2M

-33.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.2M

$399 Rp 7.1M

-41.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 Rp 19.8M

$2,202 Rp 39.4M

-49.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$550 Rp 9.8M

$1,045 Rp 18.7M

-47.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 Rp 3.8M

$269 Rp 4.8M

-20.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

8.33

11.04%

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

Last update for Medan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in Medan and $244 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 26% 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 Medan vs $12.00 in Surabaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $228 per month, with Medan 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

Medan vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Surabaya. 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: $196 in Medan versus $244 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 1% less than in Surabaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $123 in Medan versus $186 in Surabaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Medan 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 Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.