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: $677 in Padang versus $693 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,039 in Padang versus $1,106 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,401 in Padang versus $1,520 in Surabaya.

Living in Padang costs roughly 2% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Padang 49% lower, Surabaya 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.57 Rp 27.1K

$1.58 Rp 27.3K

-0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.46 Rp 215.2K

$12.16 Rp 210.0K

2.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 Rp 56.9K

$2.98 Rp 51.5K

10.74%

Cappuccino

$1.73 Rp 29.8K

$1.74 Rp 30.0K

-0.57%

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

$0.54 Rp 9,392

$0.65 Rp 11.3K

-16.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 4,856

$0.26 Rp 4,443

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 Rp 42.1K

$2.41 Rp 41.6K

1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 Rp 62.0K

$4.05 Rp 70.0K

-11.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.0K

$1.44 Rp 24.9K

-15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 Rp 19.5K

$1.46 Rp 25.1K

-22.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

$1.01 Rp 17.4K

-10.89%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 27.4K

$1.46 Rp 25.2K

8.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 Rp 139.2K

$9.39 Rp 162.1K

-14.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 Rp 55.2K

$3.31 Rp 57.2K

-3.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 Rp 134.9K

$8.24 Rp 142.3K

-5.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 41.3K

$2.30 Rp 39.8K

3.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 25.7K

$1.51 Rp 26.1K

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.3K

$2.13 Rp 36.7K

-15.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.1K

$1.49 Rp 25.8K

5.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.0K

$1.33 Rp 22.9K

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 33.5K

$1.81 Rp 31.2K

7.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 16.8K

$1.20 Rp 20.8K

-19.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,068

$0.45 Rp 7,844

-8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 Rp 44.2K

$2.55 Rp 44.1K

0.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.62 Rp 442.3K

$25.75 Rp 444.6K

-0.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 Rp 34.9K

$1.85 Rp 31.9K

9.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 Rp 55.9K

$3.14 Rp 54.2K

3.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,088

$0.48 Rp 8,210

-39.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.63 Rp 166.3K

$9.24 Rp 159.5K

4.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 Rp 9,937

$0.45 Rp 7,686

28.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,476

$0.31 Rp 5,433

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 Rp 49.3K

$2.72 Rp 47.0K

5.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.5K

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

-8.24%

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

$24.9K Rp 430.1M

$21.0K Rp 363.1M

18.47%

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

$27.2K Rp 470.3M

$35.7K Rp 616.7M

-23.74%

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

$70.0 Rp 1.2M

$83.8 Rp 1.4M

-16.46%

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

$4.39 Rp 75.8K

$4.29 Rp 74.1K

2.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.09 Rp 398.6K

$19.62 Rp 338.8K

17.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.59 Rp 390.1K

$21.80 Rp 376.4K

3.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 Rp 103.6K

$4.42 Rp 76.2K

35.75%

Cinema Ticket

$3.16 Rp 54.6K

$2.98 Rp 51.5K

6.04%

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

$93.1 Rp 1.6M

$186 Rp 3.2M

-49.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,495 Rp 129.4M

$9,464 Rp 163.4M

-20.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.51 Rp 716.6K

$62.8 Rp 1.1M

-33.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.12 Rp 537.4K

$39.18 Rp 676.5K

-20.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 Rp 1.1M

$78.0 Rp 1.3M

-14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 Rp 1.3M

$82.3 Rp 1.4M

-8.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 Rp 4.4M

$244 Rp 4.2M

3.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.7M

$135 Rp 2.3M

16.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 Rp 10.3M

$790 Rp 13.6M

-24.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 Rp 5.7M

$394 Rp 6.8M

-16.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,127 Rp 19.5M

$2,262 Rp 39.1M

-50.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 Rp 13.5M

$1,122 Rp 19.4M

-30.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 Rp 3.1M

$302 Rp 5.2M

-41.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

8.33

9.84%

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

Last update for Padang: April 28, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $253 in Padang and $244 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 71% 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 $218 vs $230 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 2% 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, Surabaya earns 71% 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: $253 in Padang versus $244 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Padang runs roughly 4% less than in Surabaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $93.1 in Padang 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 $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 2% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.