Cost of Living Comparison Between Padang and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Padang and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $651 in Padang versus $676 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,007 in Padang versus $1,202 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,363 in Padang versus $1,728 in Surabaya.

Living in Padang costs roughly 4% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Padang 52% lower, Surabaya 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

0.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.43 Rp 220.0K

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

7.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.04 Rp 53.7K

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

-6.46%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

-5.70%

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

$0.38 Rp 6,734

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

-38.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,533

$0.26 Rp 4,554

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 48.0K

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

22.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 Rp 69.6K

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

-9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.8K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 Rp 16.9K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

-26.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 Rp 16.3K

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

2.22%

Eggs

$1.45 Rp 25.6K

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

17.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 Rp 111.4K

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

-17.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 Rp 46.0K

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

-15.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 Rp 141.3K

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

5.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

-4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.5K

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

-9.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

-15.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

-25.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 Rp 23.8K

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

0.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.2K

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

-4.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 Rp 14.7K

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

-16.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,865

$0.41 Rp 7,186

7.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 Rp 48.0K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

41.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.01 Rp 407.4K

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

-8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 Rp 35.5K

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 48.5K

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

-6.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,325

$0.33 Rp 5,825

-9.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,086

$0.52 Rp 9,236

-1.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,191

$0.43 Rp 7,630

-32.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 Rp 44.8K

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

-8.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 Rp 12.1K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-10.39%

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

$22.8K Rp 404.2M

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

-7.96%

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

$30.6K Rp 542.5M

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

-5.71%

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

$74.1 Rp 1.3M

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

-14.53%

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

$4.30 Rp 76.2K

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

-8.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.79 Rp 315.1K

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

-8.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.96 Rp 353.4K

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

6.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.45 Rp 132.0K

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

7.04%

Cinema Ticket

$2.46 Rp 43.5K

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

-8.89%

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

$99.6 Rp 1.8M

$283 Rp 5.0M

-64.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,742 Rp 137.1M

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

-21.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.85 Rp 794.2K

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

-37.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.67 Rp 525.3K

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

-26.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-11.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 Rp 4.2M

$282 Rp 5.0M

-16.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 Rp 2.5M

$150 Rp 2.7M

-7.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 Rp 9.1M

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

-59.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 Rp 6.4M

$619 Rp 11.0M

-42.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,358 Rp 24.0M

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

-38.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$634 Rp 11.2M

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

-40.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$277 Rp 4.9M

-38.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

7.5

26.13%

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

Last update for Padang: September 13, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $236 in Padang and $282 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 63% 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: $12.00 in Padang vs $12.00 in Surabaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $211 per month, with Padang 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

Padang vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Padang wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Surabaya. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Padang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 63% 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: $236 in Padang versus $282 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Surabaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $651 per month in Padang versus $676 in Surabaya – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Padang 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 Padang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.