Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarinda and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarinda and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $656 per month in Samarinda vs $688 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,041 per month in Samarinda vs $1,205 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,425 per month in Samarinda vs $1,722 in Surabaya, rent included.

Samarinda is about 5% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Samarinda and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Samarinda 52% lower, Surabaya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

$1.66 Rp 29.6K

0.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.84 Rp 245.9K

$11.40 Rp 202.6K

21.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.41 Rp 60.6K

$3.24 Rp 57.6K

5.25%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

-0.64%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,539

$0.56 Rp 9,916

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,423

$0.26 Rp 4,607

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 Rp 41.3K

$2.25 Rp 39.9K

3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 Rp 59.7K

$4.37 Rp 77.6K

-23.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

-10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

$1.34 Rp 23.9K

-32.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

-18.60%

Eggs

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

15.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 Rp 134.0K

$7.80 Rp 138.5K

-3.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 65.6K

$2.96 Rp 52.6K

24.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.21 Rp 181.3K

$7.87 Rp 139.9K

29.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 Rp 94.5K

$2.02 Rp 35.9K

163.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.5K

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

-13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.9K

$1.87 Rp 33.2K

-40.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 Rp 25.6K

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

-5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.7K

$1.37 Rp 24.4K

-2.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 32.9K

$1.93 Rp 34.3K

-4.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

-24.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Rp 9,405

$0.40 Rp 7,104

32.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 Rp 37.0K

$1.96 Rp 34.8K

6.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.31 Rp 360.8K

$25.35 Rp 450.4K

-19.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$1.71 Rp 30.3K

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 Rp 47.5K

$2.89 Rp 51.3K

-7.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 Rp 4,952

$0.36 Rp 6,319

-22.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,919

$0.47 Rp 8,397

6.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 5,946

$0.47 Rp 8,357

-29.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

$2.70 Rp 48.0K

9.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 Rp 13.2K

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

-6.25%

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

$25.8K Rp 457.8M

$24.7K Rp 438.8M

4.32%

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

$31.1K Rp 552.2M

$33.1K Rp 587.8M

-6.05%

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

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

-24.24%

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

$4.22 Rp 74.9K

$4.83 Rp 85.9K

-12.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 Rp 348.2K

$19.84 Rp 352.4K

-1.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.92 Rp 353.9K

$18.57 Rp 329.9K

7.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.40 Rp 149.2K

$6.54 Rp 116.2K

28.44%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 Rp 51.0K

$2.65 Rp 47.1K

8.30%

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

$107 Rp 1.9M

$286 Rp 5.1M

-62.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,991 Rp 159.7M

$9,694 Rp 172.2M

-7.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 Rp 784.4K

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

-38.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.34 Rp 503.5K

$39.47 Rp 701.2K

-28.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 Rp 1.4M

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.1 Rp 1.1M

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

-17.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 Rp 4.0M

$290 Rp 5.1M

-21.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 Rp 2.7M

$150 Rp 2.7M

2.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 Rp 9.8M

$1,276 Rp 22.7M

-56.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 Rp 6.2M

$618 Rp 11.0M

-43.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,140 Rp 20.3M

$2,231 Rp 39.6M

-48.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$584 Rp 10.4M

$1,073 Rp 19.1M

-45.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$334 Rp 5.9M

$277 Rp 4.9M

20.39%

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 Samarinda: September 1, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $226 in Samarinda versus $290 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 20% higher in Samarinda, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Samarinda versus $11.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $211 – making Surabaya 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

Samarinda vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $656 in Samarinda, $688 in Surabaya – roughly 5% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $984 per month in Samarinda and $1,032 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Samarinda and $11.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Surabaya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $656 in Samarinda and $688 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

If budget matters most, go with Samarinda. 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.