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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $695 per month in Samarinda vs $708 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,072 per month in Samarinda vs $1,133 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,448 per month in Samarinda vs $1,557 in Surabaya, rent included.

Samarinda is about 2% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Samarinda and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Samarinda 48% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

3.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.05 Rp 215.2K

$12.12 Rp 216.4K

-0.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 Rp 106.1K

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

89.78%

Cappuccino

$1.72 Rp 30.7K

$1.82 Rp 32.4K

-5.49%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,754

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

-18.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 Rp 6,927

$0.26 Rp 4,602

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 Rp 44.5K

$2.41 Rp 43.0K

3.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 Rp 63.3K

$4.02 Rp 71.7K

-11.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 Rp 16.7K

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

-35.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

-22.58%

Eggs

$1.54 Rp 27.5K

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

6.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 Rp 148.2K

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

-8.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 Rp 69.9K

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

18.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 Rp 199.5K

$8.45 Rp 151.0K

32.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.75 Rp 102.6K

$2.42 Rp 43.2K

137.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

$1.54 Rp 27.5K

-20.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

$2.19 Rp 39.2K

-44.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 29.3K

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

15.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.8K

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

14.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

-20.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 9,975

$0.42 Rp 7,529

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.27 Rp 40.5K

$2.54 Rp 45.4K

-10.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.69 Rp 369.5K

$24.78 Rp 442.6K

-16.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 37.8K

$1.77 Rp 31.5K

19.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 Rp 56.0K

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

-0.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,749

$0.48 Rp 8,489

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.79 Rp 174.8K

$9.40 Rp 168.0K

4.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 Rp 17.1K

$0.44 Rp 7,919

118.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,749

$0.29 Rp 5,165

31.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$2.77 Rp 49.5K

7.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

-25.00%

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

$24.6K Rp 439.6M

$20.6K Rp 368.5M

19.28%

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

$28.0K Rp 500.0M

$35.8K Rp 639.4M

-21.80%

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

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

-17.19%

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

$4.24 Rp 75.8K

$4.09 Rp 73.0K

3.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.90 Rp 408.9K

$19.75 Rp 352.7K

15.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.93 Rp 409.4K

$21.59 Rp 385.6K

6.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.14 Rp 109.6K

$4.57 Rp 81.6K

34.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 Rp 53.5K

$2.85 Rp 50.9K

5.26%

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

$92.2 Rp 1.6M

$188 Rp 3.3M

-50.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,444 Rp 132.9M

$9,556 Rp 170.7M

-22.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.15 Rp 734.8K

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

-33.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.26 Rp 558.3K

$38.56 Rp 688.5K

-18.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 Rp 1.2M

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

-15.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 Rp 1.3M

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.7M

$242 Rp 4.3M

8.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.8M

$135 Rp 2.4M

16.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 Rp 10.6M

$762 Rp 13.6M

-21.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 Rp 6.0M

$393 Rp 7.0M

-14.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,151 Rp 20.6M

$2,209 Rp 39.5M

-47.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$652 Rp 11.6M

$1,067 Rp 19.0M

-38.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$330 Rp 5.9M

$276 Rp 4.9M

19.72%

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 Samarinda: June 1, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Samarinda versus $242 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 $12.00 in Samarinda versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Samarinda vs $226 in Surabaya – so Surabaya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $695 in Samarinda, $708 in Surabaya – roughly 2% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,042 per month in Samarinda and $1,062 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 $12.00 in Samarinda and $12.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $695 in Samarinda and $708 in Surabaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $695 in Samarinda and $708 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.