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: $630 in Pekanbaru versus $688 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $998 in Pekanbaru versus $1,205 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,367 in Pekanbaru versus $1,722 in Surabaya.

Living in Pekanbaru costs roughly 8% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pekanbaru 54% lower, Surabaya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.42 Rp 25.3K

$1.66 Rp 29.6K

-14.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.31 Rp 147.7K

$11.40 Rp 202.6K

-27.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.23 Rp 39.7K

$3.24 Rp 57.6K

-31.17%

Cappuccino

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

-18.59%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,533

$0.56 Rp 9,916

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 Rp 3,889

$0.26 Rp 4,607

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 Rp 34.9K

$2.25 Rp 39.9K

-12.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$4.37 Rp 77.6K

-30.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

$1.34 Rp 23.9K

-13.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.7K

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

-3.49%

Eggs

$1.72 Rp 30.5K

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

42.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 Rp 128.7K

$7.80 Rp 138.5K

-7.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.50 Rp 44.4K

$2.96 Rp 52.6K

-15.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 Rp 119.9K

$7.87 Rp 139.9K

-14.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.02 Rp 35.9K

30.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 Rp 29.6K

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

24.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 42.3K

$1.87 Rp 33.2K

27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.6K

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

-16.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.2K

$1.37 Rp 24.4K

-5.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 36.0K

$1.93 Rp 34.3K

5.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

-23.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,512

$0.40 Rp 7,104

-7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 38.7K

$1.96 Rp 34.8K

11.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.35 Rp 361.6K

$25.35 Rp 450.4K

-19.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

$1.71 Rp 30.3K

7.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.89 Rp 51.3K

2.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,171

$0.36 Rp 6,319

-19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.60 Rp 152.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$0.47 Rp 8,397

102.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,493

$0.47 Rp 8,357

-21.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 52.5K

$2.70 Rp 48.0K

9.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

-7.50%

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

$22.8K Rp 405.3M

$24.7K Rp 438.8M

-7.63%

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

$26.8K Rp 476.2M

$33.1K Rp 587.8M

-18.98%

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

$63.4 Rp 1.1M

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

-28.67%

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

$6.32 Rp 112.3K

$4.83 Rp 85.9K

30.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.43 Rp 416.2K

$19.84 Rp 352.4K

18.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.64 Rp 508.8K

$18.57 Rp 329.9K

54.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 Rp 148.2K

$6.54 Rp 116.2K

27.52%

Cinema Ticket

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$2.65 Rp 47.1K

13.96%

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

$94.8 Rp 1.7M

$286 Rp 5.1M

-66.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,876 Rp 139.9M

$9,694 Rp 172.2M

-18.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.56 Rp 489.6K

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

-61.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.07 Rp 534.2K

$39.47 Rp 701.2K

-23.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.5 Rp 1.0M

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-30.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 Rp 1.4M

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 Rp 3.4M

$290 Rp 5.1M

-33.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 Rp 2.7M

$150 Rp 2.7M

2.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 Rp 10.0M

$1,276 Rp 22.7M

-55.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 Rp 6.6M

$618 Rp 11.0M

-40.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,260 Rp 22.4M

$2,231 Rp 39.6M

-43.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$668 Rp 11.9M

$1,073 Rp 19.1M

-37.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 Rp 3.2M

$277 Rp 4.9M

-34.80%

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 Pekanbaru: August 31, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $193 in Pekanbaru and $290 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 53% 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: $8.00 in Pekanbaru vs $11.00 in Surabaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $211 per month, with Pekanbaru 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

Pekanbaru vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pekanbaru is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 53% 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: $193 in Pekanbaru versus $290 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $94.8 in Pekanbaru versus $286 in Surabaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Pekanbaru – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $11.00 in Surabaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 9% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.