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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Semarang vs $708 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,022 per month in Semarang vs $1,133 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,391 per month in Semarang vs $1,557 in Surabaya, rent included.

Semarang is about 8% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Semarang and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Semarang 51% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

18.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.32 Rp 220.9K

$12.12 Rp 217.3K

1.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.69 Rp 66.1K

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

17.89%

Cappuccino

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

-17.58%

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

$0.52 Rp 9,352

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

-13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,833

$0.26 Rp 4,620

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

$2.41 Rp 43.2K

-17.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 Rp 53.9K

$4.02 Rp 72.0K

-25.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

-29.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

-13.98%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$1.44 Rp 25.9K

5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 Rp 109.5K

$9.04 Rp 162.1K

-32.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

-10.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.73 Rp 156.5K

$8.45 Rp 151.5K

3.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

$2.42 Rp 43.3K

7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

3.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

-14.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

11.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.8K

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

4.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.3K

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

-22.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,300

$0.42 Rp 7,557

-2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$2.54 Rp 45.6K

-11.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 Rp 252.7K

$24.78 Rp 444.3K

-43.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 Rp 46.3K

$1.77 Rp 31.6K

45.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 51.5K

$3.14 Rp 56.4K

-8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,661

$0.48 Rp 8,521

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.11 Rp 234.9K

$9.40 Rp 168.6K

39.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$0.44 Rp 7,949

111.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,634

$0.29 Rp 5,185

6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 Rp 51.6K

$2.77 Rp 49.7K

3.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

2.38%

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

$24.5K Rp 439.9M

$20.6K Rp 369.9M

18.91%

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

$31.2K Rp 558.6M

$35.8K Rp 641.8M

-12.97%

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

$94.0 Rp 1.7M

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

10.75%

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

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

$4.09 Rp 73.3K

-33.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.89 Rp 428.2K

$19.75 Rp 354.1K

20.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.84 Rp 427.4K

$21.59 Rp 387.0K

10.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.06 Rp 90.6K

$4.57 Rp 81.9K

10.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 54.6K

$2.85 Rp 51.1K

7.02%

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

$44.50 Rp 797.7K

$188 Rp 3.4M

-76.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,399 Rp 43.0M

$9,556 Rp 171.3M

-74.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.42 Rp 670.8K

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

-39.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.67 Rp 585.6K

$38.56 Rp 691.1K

-15.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

-13.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.76 Rp 784.5K

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-47.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.6M

$242 Rp 4.3M

5.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.8M

$135 Rp 2.4M

13.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 Rp 9.6M

$762 Rp 13.7M

-29.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 Rp 7.4M

$393 Rp 7.0M

5.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,187 Rp 21.3M

$2,209 Rp 39.6M

-46.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$564 Rp 10.1M

$1,067 Rp 19.1M

-47.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 Rp 3.3M

$276 Rp 4.9M

-33.36%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Semarang 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 50% 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: $190 vs $226 – 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 Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $978 per month in Semarang 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 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 $652 in Semarang and $708 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 $652 in Semarang and $708 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.