Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Purwokerto and Surabaya

For one person, living is cheaper in Purwokerto: $497 a month against $685 in Surabaya, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Purwokerto, Indonesia
Surabaya, Indonesia
Purwokerto
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$497
/mo nomad
Surabaya
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$685
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Purwokerto and in Surabaya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Purwokerto and in Surabaya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $497 per month in Purwokerto vs $685 in Surabaya, rent included.

  • Purwokerto $497
  • Surabaya $685

A couple spends around $824 per month in Purwokerto vs $1,189 in Surabaya, rent included.

  • Purwokerto $824
  • Surabaya $1,189

A family of three spends $1,151 per month in Purwokerto vs $1,693 in Surabaya, rent included.

  • Purwokerto $1,151
  • Surabaya $1,693

Purwokerto is about 28% cheaper than Surabaya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Purwokerto and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Purwokerto 64% lower, Surabaya 50% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Purwokerto
Surabaya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.23 Rp 22.2K
$1.68 Rp 30.4K
-26.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$8.31 Rp 150.5K
$11.51 Rp 208.6K
-27.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.23 Rp 58.5K
$3.11 Rp 56.4K
3.86%
Cappuccino
$1.34 Rp 24.4K
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
-12.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41 Rp 7,350
$0.59 Rp 10.6K
-30.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.18 Rp 3,260
$0.28 Rp 5,116
-35.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.20 Rp 39.8K
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
-1.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 Rp 54.5K
$4.20 Rp 76.2K
-28.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Purwokerto
Surabaya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.07 Rp 19.4K
$1.25 Rp 22.6K
-14.40%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 Rp 14.3K
$1.25 Rp 22.7K
-36.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.81 Rp 14.7K
$0.81 Rp 14.8K
-
Eggs
$1.47 Rp 26.7K
$1.18 Rp 21.4K
24.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.02 Rp 127.2K
$7.35 Rp 133.1K
-4.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.81 Rp 50.9K
$3.02 Rp 54.8K
-6.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.04 Rp 127.6K
$7.40 Rp 134.1K
-4.86%
Apples (1kg)
$2.21 Rp 40.1K
$2.04 Rp 37.0K
8.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 Rp 19.7K
$1.24 Rp 22.5K
-12.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.51 Rp 27.3K
$1.86 Rp 33.8K
-18.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.87 Rp 15.8K
$1.47 Rp 26.6K
-40.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.07 Rp 19.4K
$1.34 Rp 24.3K
-20.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 Rp 34.5K
$1.88 Rp 34.1K
1.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 Rp 11.7K
$0.96 Rp 17.3K
-32.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34 Rp 6,189
$0.39 Rp 7,100
-12.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.36 Rp 42.8K
$1.95 Rp 35.3K
21.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.23 Rp 384.6K
$24.42 Rp 442.5K
-13.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 Rp 32.8K
$1.72 Rp 31.1K
5.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 Rp 57.1K
$2.97 Rp 53.8K
6.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Purwokerto
Surabaya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 Rp 3,617
$0.27 Rp 4,839
-25.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.72 Rp 212.3K
$16.60 Rp 300.8K
-29.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.52 Rp 9,369
$0.47 Rp 8,485
10.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.34 Rp 6,204
$0.45 Rp 8,170
-24.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.32 Rp 42.1K
$2.56 Rp 46.4K
-9.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 Rp 16.1K
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
9.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K Rp 378.1M
$24.3K Rp 441.1M
-14.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K Rp 584.1M
$31.7K Rp 573.8M
1.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Purwokerto
Surabaya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$33.11 Rp 600.0K
$86.6 Rp 1.6M
-61.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.72 Rp 49.4K
$4.57 Rp 82.7K
-40.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.01 Rp 344.4K
$19.49 Rp 353.1K
-2.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Purwokerto
Surabaya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.64 Rp 355.9K
$15.35 Rp 278.2K
27.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.88 Rp 197.1K
$6.53 Rp 118.2K
66.62%
Cinema Ticket
$2.53 Rp 45.8K
$2.62 Rp 47.5K
-3.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Purwokerto
Surabaya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$92.9 Rp 1.7M
$270 Rp 4.9M
-65.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,053 Rp 127.8M
$9,294 Rp 168.4M
-24.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Purwokerto
Surabaya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.47 Rp 697.1K
$69.1 Rp 1.3M
-44.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.86 Rp 559.2K
$38.24 Rp 693.0K
-19.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.4 Rp 1.3M
$78.8 Rp 1.4M
-8.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.8 Rp 1.2M
$74.5 Rp 1.4M
-7.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Purwokerto
Surabaya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$140 Rp 2.5M
$274 Rp 5.0M
-48.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$69.1 Rp 1.3M
$148 Rp 2.7M
-53.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$584 Rp 10.6M
$1,204 Rp 21.8M
-51.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$250 Rp 4.5M
$607 Rp 11.0M
-58.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,376 Rp 24.9M
$2,146 Rp 38.9M
-35.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$272 Rp 4.9M
$1,065 Rp 19.3M
-74.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Purwokerto
Surabaya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$117 Rp 2.1M
$266 Rp 4.8M
-55.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.45
7.5
12.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Purwokerto: October 26, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Purwokerto
$184
Surabaya
$205 11.4% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Purwokerto
$95
Surabaya
$117 23.8% $23
Accommodation & Living
Purwokerto
$69
Surabaya
$148 114% $78
Eating Out
Purwokerto
$55
Surabaya
$64 16.8% $9.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Purwokerto
$55
Surabaya
$111 102% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Purwokerto
$25
Surabaya
$21 16.6% $4.1
Getting Around
Purwokerto
$15
Surabaya
$20 38.3% $5.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $140 in Purwokerto versus $274 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 in Surabaya are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $8 in Purwokerto versus $12 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $205 – making Purwokerto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Purwokerto
🇮🇩 Surabaya
🕒 Local time
16:30 4:30 PM
16:30 4:30 PM
Same time as Purwokerto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
292,782
2,765,487
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18,120 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.52 USD). 1 EUR = 20,232 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Purwokerto Surabaya 390 km
From you
  • Purwokerto
  • Surabaya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Purwokerto cheaper than Surabaya?
Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 38%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $745 per month in Purwokerto and $1,028 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Purwokerto, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $140 there versus $274 in Surabaya.
How do food prices compare in Purwokerto and in Surabaya?
Groceries cost about 11% more in Surabaya, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Purwokerto or in Surabaya?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $8 in Purwokerto and $12 in Surabaya. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough for either Purwokerto or Surabaya?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $497 in Purwokerto and $685 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Purwokerto or Surabaya more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Purwokerto. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surabaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Purwokerto vs other spots: cost of living compared

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