Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $644 per month in Semarang vs $702 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,036 per month in Semarang vs $1,117 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,429 per month in Semarang vs $1,532 in Surabaya, rent included.

Semarang is about 8% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Semarang and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Semarang 52% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

13.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.50 Rp 224.6K

$12.11 Rp 217.6K

3.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.64 Rp 65.4K

$3.05 Rp 54.9K

19.34%

Cappuccino

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

-18.89%

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

$0.48 Rp 8,703

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,829

$0.28 Rp 5,048

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 Rp 36.1K

$2.40 Rp 43.2K

-16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

$4.09 Rp 73.5K

-29.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

-8.51%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

6.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 Rp 110.1K

$9.24 Rp 166.1K

-33.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 50.6K

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

-11.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 Rp 152.4K

$8.13 Rp 146.0K

4.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 Rp 46.6K

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

7.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.7K

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 35.1K

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

-11.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

4.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 Rp 22.2K

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

-7.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.4K

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

7.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

-26.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,269

$0.45 Rp 8,091

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 Rp 41.2K

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

-6.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 Rp 243.1K

$25.13 Rp 451.6K

-46.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 Rp 46.0K

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

37.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$3.31 Rp 59.5K

-14.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,710

$0.44 Rp 7,860

-40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.96 Rp 232.9K

$9.48 Rp 170.4K

36.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

$0.48 Rp 8,592

81.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,572

$0.31 Rp 5,615

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 Rp 51.5K

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

5.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

-6.98%

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

$24.8K Rp 445.4M

$20.5K Rp 368.6M

20.82%

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

$30.4K Rp 546.4M

$35.0K Rp 629.7M

-13.23%

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

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

11.75%

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

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$4.31 Rp 77.5K

-36.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.45 Rp 421.5K

$19.61 Rp 352.5K

19.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.69 Rp 425.7K

$21.82 Rp 392.2K

8.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.24 Rp 94.1K

$4.59 Rp 82.6K

14.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 54.8K

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

6.27%

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

$44.58 Rp 801.1K

$186 Rp 3.3M

-76.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,388 Rp 42.9M

$9,556 Rp 171.7M

-75.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.26 Rp 651.6K

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-42.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 Rp 580.6K

$38.85 Rp 698.2K

-16.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 Rp 1.2M

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

-13.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.45 Rp 780.8K

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

-47.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.6M

$244 Rp 4.4M

4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 Rp 2.7M

$136 Rp 2.4M

12.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 Rp 9.8M

$792 Rp 14.2M

-31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 Rp 7.5M

$399 Rp 7.2M

5.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,179 Rp 21.2M

$2,202 Rp 39.6M

-46.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 Rp 9.8M

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

-47.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$189 Rp 3.4M

$269 Rp 4.8M

-29.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.83

8.33

-6.00%

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

Last update for Semarang: July 12, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Semarang 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 43% 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 $12.00 in Semarang versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $228 – making Semarang 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

Semarang vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $966 per month in Semarang and $1,054 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Semarang, 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 Semarang 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 $644 in Semarang and $702 in Surabaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $644 in Semarang and $702 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Semarang – 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 Semarang. 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.