Cost of Living Comparison Between Palembang and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Palembang and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $661 in Palembang versus $702 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,043 in Palembang versus $1,117 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,426 in Palembang versus $1,532 in Surabaya.

Living in Palembang costs roughly 6% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Palembang 51% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

-24.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.90 Rp 321.1K

$12.11 Rp 217.2K

47.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.05 Rp 54.7K

$3.05 Rp 54.8K

Cappuccino

$1.40 Rp 25.2K

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

-22.22%

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

$0.90 Rp 16.2K

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

40.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,653

$0.28 Rp 5,039

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$2.40 Rp 43.1K

-25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 Rp 67.2K

$4.09 Rp 73.3K

-8.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 Rp 23.5K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-5.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

46.81%

Eggs

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-15.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 Rp 142.9K

$9.24 Rp 165.8K

-13.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 56.3K

$3.19 Rp 57.2K

-1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 Rp 152.2K

$8.13 Rp 145.8K

4.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

$2.41 Rp 43.2K

-4.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-6.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.3K

$2.20 Rp 39.4K

-15.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

4.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

3.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.5K

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

14.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.4K

$1.19 Rp 21.3K

-18.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 Rp 9,028

$0.45 Rp 8,076

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 Rp 43.5K

$2.45 Rp 44.0K

-1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.22 Rp 362.7K

$25.13 Rp 450.8K

-19.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 Rp 36.8K

$1.86 Rp 33.4K

10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 Rp 57.9K

$3.31 Rp 59.4K

-2.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,661

$0.44 Rp 7,846

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 Rp 172.1K

$9.48 Rp 170.1K

1.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

$0.48 Rp 8,577

18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,143

$0.31 Rp 5,605

9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 Rp 50.9K

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

4.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

-11.63%

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

$24.8K Rp 445.6M

$20.5K Rp 368.0M

21.10%

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

$28.1K Rp 503.8M

$35.0K Rp 628.6M

-19.85%

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

$70.2 Rp 1.3M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-15.42%

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

$4.18 Rp 74.9K

$4.31 Rp 77.4K

-3.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Rp 420.1K

$19.61 Rp 351.9K

19.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.79 Rp 408.7K

$21.82 Rp 391.5K

4.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 Rp 108.0K

$4.59 Rp 82.4K

31.15%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 53.5K

$2.87 Rp 51.6K

3.83%

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

$94.2 Rp 1.7M

$186 Rp 3.3M

-49.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,485 Rp 134.3M

$9,556 Rp 171.4M

-21.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.82 Rp 750.1K

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-33.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 Rp 549.1K

$38.85 Rp 696.9K

-21.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 Rp 1.2M

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

-15.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

-12.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.7M

$244 Rp 4.4M

7.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.8M

$136 Rp 2.4M

16.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 Rp 10.6M

$792 Rp 14.2M

-25.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 Rp 5.9M

$399 Rp 7.2M

-17.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$976 Rp 17.5M

$2,202 Rp 39.5M

-55.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$601 Rp 10.8M

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

-42.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$300 Rp 5.4M

$269 Rp 4.8M

11.61%

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 Palembang: July 13, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Palembang and $244 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palembang pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Palembang vs $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $228, with Palembang cheaper for home cooking.

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

Palembang vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palembang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Palembang, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $262 in Palembang versus $244 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $661 per month in Palembang versus $702 in Surabaya – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Palembang 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 Palembang 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.