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: $631 in Sibolga versus $692 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $990 in Sibolga versus $1,196 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,349 in Sibolga versus $1,700 in Surabaya.

Living in Sibolga costs roughly 9% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sibolga 54% lower, Surabaya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 29.3K

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

-3.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.83 Rp 243.5K

$11.58 Rp 203.9K

19.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.3K

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

3.50%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.6K

$1.59 Rp 28.0K

-5.03%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,443

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

-26.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,046

$0.26 Rp 4,556

-11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 Rp 40.2K

$2.31 Rp 40.7K

-1.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 Rp 61.6K

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-18.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 Rp 20.0K

$1.22 Rp 21.4K

-6.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

$1.30 Rp 22.9K

-13.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 Rp 14.4K

$0.84 Rp 14.7K

-2.38%

Eggs

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

$1.21 Rp 21.3K

19.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 Rp 126.7K

$7.90 Rp 139.1K

-8.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 Rp 53.6K

$2.97 Rp 52.3K

2.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 Rp 136.9K

$7.60 Rp 133.8K

2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.7K

$2.13 Rp 37.5K

8.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 22.7K

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

-3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 Rp 31.0K

$1.85 Rp 32.6K

-4.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 21.8K

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

-20.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.2K

$1.34 Rp 23.6K

-5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

$2.00 Rp 35.1K

-3.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Rp 12.9K

$0.97 Rp 17.0K

-23.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,688

$0.43 Rp 7,648

2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 Rp 46.5K

$2.04 Rp 35.9K

29.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.25 Rp 356.5K

$25.91 Rp 456.1K

-21.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.6K

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 Rp 51.8K

$3.03 Rp 53.4K

-2.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,721

$0.33 Rp 5,732

-18.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,260

$0.48 Rp 8,409

10.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 5,732

$0.46 Rp 8,175

-28.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 Rp 50.0K

$2.73 Rp 48.0K

4.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

-6.17%

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

$23.4K Rp 411.5M

$25.4K Rp 446.3M

-7.79%

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

$31.3K Rp 551.8M

$32.7K Rp 575.2M

-4.07%

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

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

$89.2 Rp 1.6M

-22.13%

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

$4.48 Rp 78.9K

$4.62 Rp 81.4K

-3.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.05 Rp 335.5K

$19.75 Rp 347.8K

-3.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.58 Rp 362.4K

$18.50 Rp 325.7K

11.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.69 Rp 153.0K

$6.79 Rp 119.5K

27.98%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

$2.71 Rp 47.6K

6.64%

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

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

$278 Rp 4.9M

-66.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,787 Rp 137.1M

$9,802 Rp 172.6M

-20.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.61 Rp 767.8K

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

-40.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.17 Rp 531.2K

$40.01 Rp 704.5K

-24.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

$82.2 Rp 1.4M

-10.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

$76.4 Rp 1.3M

-5.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 Rp 4.0M

$290 Rp 5.1M

-21.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 Rp 2.7M

$150 Rp 2.6M

1.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 Rp 9.7M

$1,277 Rp 22.5M

-56.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 Rp 6.4M

$607 Rp 10.7M

-39.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,199 Rp 21.1M

$2,202 Rp 38.8M

-45.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$669 Rp 11.8M

$1,066 Rp 18.8M

-37.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 Rp 4.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

7.5

26.13%

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

Last update for Sibolga: September 6, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $227 in Sibolga and $290 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Sibolga vs $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $212, with Sibolga cheaper for home cooking.

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 10% in total monthly costs ($631 vs $692 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $947 in Sibolga and $1,038 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: $227 in Sibolga versus $290 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $94.4 in Sibolga versus $278 in Surabaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sibolga – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $12.00 in Surabaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 10% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.