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: $600 in Sibolga versus $700 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $943 in Sibolga versus $1,117 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,285 in Sibolga versus $1,535 in Surabaya.

Living in Sibolga costs roughly 14% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sibolga 55% lower, Surabaya 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.25 Rp 219.4K

$12.46 Rp 223.3K

-1.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.34 Rp 59.8K

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

6.71%

Cappuccino

$1.70 Rp 30.5K

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-2.30%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,781

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,610

$0.28 Rp 5,017

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 Rp 54.0K

$2.50 Rp 44.7K

20.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 Rp 46.5K

$3.92 Rp 70.2K

-33.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

-17.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 20.0K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-25.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 Rp 16.5K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

-1.08%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

5.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 Rp 142.2K

$9.31 Rp 166.7K

-14.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.5K

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

-26.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 Rp 162.0K

$8.19 Rp 146.8K

10.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

-3.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.3K

$2.17 Rp 38.8K

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

4.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-48.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$1.78 Rp 31.9K

-14.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.3K

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

-21.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 Rp 5,840

$0.45 Rp 8,099

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$2.44 Rp 43.7K

-26.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.67 Rp 334.5K

$24.54 Rp 439.7K

-23.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 Rp 40.7K

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

24.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

$3.27 Rp 58.6K

-31.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 Rp 8,016

$0.47 Rp 8,495

-4.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.91 Rp 177.6K

$9.14 Rp 163.8K

8.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

$0.47 Rp 8,431

21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,764

$0.31 Rp 5,569

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

4.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

17.24%

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

$24.5K Rp 439.2M

$20.8K Rp 373.4M

17.62%

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

$27.6K Rp 495.0M

$34.9K Rp 624.7M

-20.75%

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

$26.42 Rp 473.3K

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

-68.51%

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

$4.27 Rp 76.4K

$4.10 Rp 73.5K

4.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.51 Rp 403.2K

$19.83 Rp 355.3K

13.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.14 Rp 414.5K

$21.93 Rp 393.0K

5.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.33 Rp 113.5K

$4.44 Rp 79.5K

42.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

6.08%

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

$24.08 Rp 431.5K

$192 Rp 3.4M

-87.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,714 Rp 138.2M

$9,350 Rp 167.5M

-17.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.47 Rp 277.2K

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-75.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.47 Rp 330.9K

$39.45 Rp 706.8K

-53.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-15.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.9 Rp 1.3M

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-9.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 Rp 4.7M

$244 Rp 4.4M

6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$135 Rp 2.4M

15.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 Rp 10.6M

$762 Rp 13.7M

-22.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 Rp 6.0M

$389 Rp 7.0M

-13.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,315 Rp 23.6M

$2,223 Rp 39.8M

-40.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$764 Rp 13.7M

$1,057 Rp 18.9M

-27.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.8M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Sibolga and $244 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 $196 vs $227 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 17% in total monthly costs ($600 vs $700 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $901 in Sibolga and $1,050 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: $261 in Sibolga versus $244 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 $600 per month in Sibolga versus $700 in Surabaya – a 17% 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 17% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.