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: $662 in Padang versus $702 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,023 in Padang versus $1,129 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,384 in Padang versus $1,557 in Surabaya.

Living in Padang costs roughly 6% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Padang 50% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

-2.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.14 Rp 219.2K

$12.42 Rp 224.2K

-2.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.37 Rp 60.8K

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

11.22%

Cappuccino

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

$1.76 Rp 31.7K

-5.11%

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

$0.52 Rp 9,369

$0.66 Rp 11.9K

-21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,080

$0.28 Rp 5,096

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.44 Rp 44.1K

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 Rp 62.0K

$4.09 Rp 73.8K

-15.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.9K

$1.44 Rp 25.9K

-15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

-22.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

-9.18%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

4.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 Rp 144.1K

$9.28 Rp 167.5K

-14.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 Rp 55.5K

$3.24 Rp 58.5K

-4.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 Rp 140.0K

$8.13 Rp 146.7K

-4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

-1.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.4K

$2.18 Rp 39.4K

-17.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

9.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.5K

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

13.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

-15.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,949

$0.46 Rp 8,229

-4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 Rp 45.4K

$2.52 Rp 45.6K

-0.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.61 Rp 317.9K

$25.18 Rp 454.5K

-30.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 38.3K

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

19.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 Rp 56.4K

$3.30 Rp 59.5K

-5.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,862

$0.44 Rp 8,032

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.05 Rp 181.5K

$9.26 Rp 167.2K

8.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

$0.45 Rp 8,115

26.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,271

$0.31 Rp 5,634

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 Rp 54.1K

$2.74 Rp 49.5K

9.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

-16.09%

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

$24.6K Rp 443.9M

$20.8K Rp 374.8M

18.45%

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

$28.0K Rp 505.9M

$34.9K Rp 629.2M

-19.60%

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

$70.5 Rp 1.3M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-15.04%

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

$4.33 Rp 78.2K

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

3.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.02 Rp 415.6K

$19.44 Rp 350.9K

18.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.34 Rp 421.4K

$21.63 Rp 390.4K

7.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.33 Rp 114.2K

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

44.52%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 Rp 54.4K

$2.98 Rp 53.9K

1.01%

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

$91.7 Rp 1.7M

$186 Rp 3.4M

-50.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,675 Rp 138.6M

$9,266 Rp 167.3M

-17.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.38 Rp 747.1K

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-34.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.46 Rp 549.9K

$38.49 Rp 694.9K

-20.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 Rp 1.2M

$76.9 Rp 1.4M

-11.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

-12.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 Rp 4.7M

$249 Rp 4.5M

3.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 Rp 2.9M

$138 Rp 2.5M

16.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 Rp 10.6M

$775 Rp 14.0M

-23.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 Rp 6.1M

$392 Rp 7.1M

-14.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,296 Rp 23.4M

$2,136 Rp 38.6M

-39.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$593 Rp 10.7M

$1,064 Rp 19.2M

-44.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$269 Rp 4.9M

-37.56%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $259 in Padang and $249 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 60% 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 $201 vs $228 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 6% 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 60% 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: $259 in Padang versus $249 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 9% less than in Surabaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $91.7 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 6% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.