Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibolga and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibolga and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $591 in Sibolga versus $702 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $944 in Sibolga versus $1,129 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,296 in Sibolga versus $1,557 in Surabaya.

Living in Sibolga costs roughly 16% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sibolga 56% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

$1.56 Rp 28.3K

-0.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.22 Rp 221.0K

$12.42 Rp 224.6K

-1.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.48 Rp 62.8K

$3.03 Rp 54.7K

14.85%

Cappuccino

$1.67 Rp 30.2K

$1.76 Rp 31.7K

-5.11%

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

$0.51 Rp 9,310

$0.66 Rp 11.9K

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,116

$0.28 Rp 5,104

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 Rp 56.2K

$2.44 Rp 44.1K

27.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 48.0K

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

-35.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 22.1K

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

-15.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

-22.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

-5.10%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.7K

$1.51 Rp 27.3K

5.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.33 Rp 150.5K

$9.28 Rp 167.7K

-10.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 41.1K

$3.24 Rp 58.5K

-29.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 Rp 164.5K

$8.13 Rp 147.0K

11.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 41.5K

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

-3.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.3K

$1.50 Rp 27.2K

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

$2.18 Rp 39.5K

-13.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

4.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 Rp 12.9K

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

-46.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.6K

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

-11.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

-20.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 Rp 6,344

$0.46 Rp 8,242

-23.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

$2.52 Rp 45.6K

-31.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 419.3K

$25.18 Rp 455.2K

-7.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 41.8K

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

29.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 Rp 42.1K

$3.30 Rp 59.6K

-29.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 Rp 7,393

$0.44 Rp 8,044

-6.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.68 Rp 175.0K

$9.26 Rp 167.5K

4.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,606

$0.45 Rp 8,128

17.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,764

$0.31 Rp 5,643

19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 Rp 51.8K

$2.74 Rp 49.6K

4.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 Rp 19.2K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

21.84%

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

$24.7K Rp 446.1M

$20.8K Rp 375.4M

18.84%

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

$27.3K Rp 492.8M

$34.9K Rp 630.2M

-21.81%

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

$26.79 Rp 484.5K

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-67.72%

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

$4.22 Rp 76.3K

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

0.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.81 Rp 412.5K

$19.44 Rp 351.5K

17.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.00 Rp 415.9K

$21.63 Rp 391.0K

6.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.08 Rp 110.0K

$4.38 Rp 79.2K

38.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 Rp 55.9K

$2.98 Rp 54.0K

3.69%

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

$24.11 Rp 436.0K

$186 Rp 3.4M

-87.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,603 Rp 137.5M

$9,266 Rp 167.5M

-17.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.45 Rp 279.3K

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-75.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.19 Rp 328.8K

$38.49 Rp 696.0K

-52.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 Rp 1.2M

$76.9 Rp 1.4M

-13.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 Rp 1.4M

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

-10.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 Rp 4.7M

$249 Rp 4.5M

4.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.9M

$138 Rp 2.5M

15.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 Rp 10.5M

$775 Rp 14.0M

-24.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 Rp 6.0M

$392 Rp 7.1M

-15.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,293 Rp 23.4M

$2,136 Rp 38.6M

-39.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$622 Rp 11.2M

$1,064 Rp 19.2M

-41.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.9M

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 Sibolga: July 26, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $260 in Sibolga and $249 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Sibolga vs $12.00 in Surabaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $228 per month, with Sibolga cheaper across the board.

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

Sibolga vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sibolga and Surabaya differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($591 vs $702 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $887 in Sibolga and $1,053 in Surabaya to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $260 in Sibolga versus $249 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sibolga – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $12.00 in Surabaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $591 per month in Sibolga versus $702 in Surabaya – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sibolga gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Sibolga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.