Cost of Living Comparison Between Purwokerto and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Purwokerto and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $630 per month in Purwokerto vs $700 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $964 per month in Purwokerto vs $1,117 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,298 per month in Purwokerto vs $1,535 in Surabaya, rent included.

Purwokerto is about 10% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Purwokerto and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Purwokerto 53% lower, Surabaya 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

-13.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.35 Rp 167.4K

$12.46 Rp 223.3K

-24.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 Rp 59.7K

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

6.39%

Cappuccino

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-20.69%

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

$0.38 Rp 6,870

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

-42.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 Rp 3,314

$0.28 Rp 5,017

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$2.50 Rp 44.7K

-31.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 Rp 62.1K

$3.92 Rp 70.2K

-11.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

-16.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

-13.98%

Eggs

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 Rp 166.4K

$9.31 Rp 166.7K

-0.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 Rp 55.8K

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

-1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 Rp 137.7K

$8.19 Rp 146.8K

-6.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.8K

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

-0.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.5K

$2.17 Rp 38.8K

-21.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

7.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 Rp 25.3K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 Rp 47.0K

$1.78 Rp 31.9K

47.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

-16.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 Rp 5,830

$0.45 Rp 8,099

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.44 Rp 43.7K

Wine (Bottle)

$21.58 Rp 386.5K

$24.54 Rp 439.7K

-12.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 Rp 37.5K

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

14.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 Rp 62.1K

$3.27 Rp 58.6K

6.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,701

$0.47 Rp 8,495

-44.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.56 Rp 171.3K

$9.14 Rp 163.8K

4.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

$0.47 Rp 8,431

51.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

$0.31 Rp 5,569

129.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 Rp 46.1K

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

-6.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

-28.74%

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

$24.5K Rp 438.2M

$20.8K Rp 373.4M

17.34%

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

$26.2K Rp 469.5M

$34.9K Rp 624.7M

-24.85%

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

$44.79 Rp 802.4K

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

-46.62%

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

$4.60 Rp 82.4K

$4.10 Rp 73.5K

12.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.04 Rp 412.8K

$19.83 Rp 355.3K

16.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.73 Rp 335.6K

$21.93 Rp 393.0K

-14.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.31 Rp 113.1K

$4.44 Rp 79.5K

42.12%

Cinema Ticket

$2.68 Rp 48.0K

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

-9.46%

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

$91.6 Rp 1.6M

$192 Rp 3.4M

-52.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,718 Rp 138.3M

$9,350 Rp 167.5M

-17.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.53 Rp 744.0K

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-33.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.47 Rp 545.8K

$39.45 Rp 706.8K

-22.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.5 Rp 1.1M

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-23.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.2 Rp 1.2M

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-21.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.6M

$244 Rp 4.4M

4.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 Rp 2.8M

$135 Rp 2.4M

14.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 Rp 10.3M

$762 Rp 13.7M

-24.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 Rp 6.1M

$389 Rp 7.0M

-12.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,402 Rp 25.1M

$2,223 Rp 39.8M

-36.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$280 Rp 5.0M

$1,057 Rp 18.9M

-73.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$117 Rp 2.1M

$269 Rp 4.8M

-56.66%

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 Purwokerto: June 7, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Purwokerto versus $244 in Surabaya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 131% higher in Surabaya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Purwokerto versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $227 – making Purwokerto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Purwokerto vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $946 per month in Purwokerto and $1,050 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Purwokerto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Surabaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Purwokerto and $12.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $630 in Purwokerto and $700 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Purwokerto – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Purwokerto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surabaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.