Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $671 in Pekanbaru versus $708 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $972 in Pekanbaru versus $1,133 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,273 in Pekanbaru versus $1,557 in Surabaya.

Living in Pekanbaru costs roughly 5% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

3.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.16 Rp 163.6K

$12.12 Rp 216.4K

-24.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.43 Rp 43.3K

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

-22.36%

Cappuccino

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

$1.82 Rp 32.4K

-25.82%

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

$0.50 Rp 8,881

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,259

$0.26 Rp 4,602

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

$2.41 Rp 43.0K

-8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.1K

$4.02 Rp 71.7K

-17.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 Rp 24.2K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

-17.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

5.38%

Eggs

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

18.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.17 Rp 306.6K

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

89.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

-20.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 Rp 181.5K

$8.45 Rp 151.0K

20.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 Rp 51.4K

$2.42 Rp 43.2K

19.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

$1.54 Rp 27.5K

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$2.19 Rp 39.2K

-8.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

-32.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

-23.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.8K

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

-7.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

27.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,024

$0.42 Rp 7,529

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

$2.54 Rp 45.4K

-11.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.07 Rp 376.3K

$24.78 Rp 442.6K

-14.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 50.0K

$1.77 Rp 31.5K

58.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 Rp 72.8K

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

29.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,261

$0.48 Rp 8,489

-39.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

$9.40 Rp 168.0K

-3.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

$0.44 Rp 7,919

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 Rp 7,814

$0.29 Rp 5,165

51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

$2.77 Rp 49.5K

-22.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

-8.33%

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

$22.7K Rp 405.1M

$20.6K Rp 368.5M

9.92%

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

$25.7K Rp 459.7M

$35.8K Rp 639.4M

-28.10%

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

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

-18.32%

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

$6.73 Rp 120.2K

$4.09 Rp 73.0K

64.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.30 Rp 505.4K

$19.75 Rp 352.7K

43.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.12 Rp 412.8K

$21.59 Rp 385.6K

7.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 Rp 218.7K

$4.57 Rp 81.6K

168.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 58.7K

$2.85 Rp 50.9K

15.44%

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

$175 Rp 3.1M

$188 Rp 3.3M

-6.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,092 Rp 55.2M

$9,556 Rp 170.7M

-67.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.33 Rp 613.1K

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

-44.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 Rp 646.2K

$38.56 Rp 688.5K

-6.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 Rp 1.2M

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

-16.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-8.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.6M

$242 Rp 4.3M

6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 Rp 2.2M

$135 Rp 2.4M

-11.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 Rp 16.2M

$762 Rp 13.6M

19.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.7M

$393 Rp 7.0M

-60.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,026 Rp 18.3M

$2,209 Rp 39.5M

-53.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$722 Rp 12.9M

$1,067 Rp 19.0M

-32.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 Rp 3.4M

$276 Rp 4.9M

-30.97%

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 Pekanbaru: May 31, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Pekanbaru and $242 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 45% 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: $9.00 in Pekanbaru vs $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $226, with Surabaya 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

Pekanbaru vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Surabaya earns 45% 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: $258 in Pekanbaru versus $242 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pekanbaru – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $12.00 in Surabaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $671 per month in Pekanbaru versus $708 in Surabaya – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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