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: $616 in Sibolga versus $689 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $952 in Sibolga versus $1,115 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,288 in Sibolga versus $1,542 in Surabaya.

Living in Sibolga costs roughly 11% less than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sibolga 54% lower, Surabaya 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.51 Rp 26.0K

$1.52 Rp 26.2K

-0.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.24 Rp 210.3K

$12.11 Rp 208.2K

1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 Rp 58.5K

$3.10 Rp 53.2K

9.68%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 29.8K

$1.81 Rp 31.1K

-3.87%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,459

$0.65 Rp 11.2K

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 4,826

$0.28 Rp 4,872

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 Rp 52.5K

$2.41 Rp 41.4K

26.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 Rp 45.7K

$4.04 Rp 69.4K

-34.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 20.9K

$1.44 Rp 24.8K

-15.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.1K

$1.49 Rp 25.7K

-21.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 14.9K

$0.92 Rp 15.9K

-5.43%

Eggs

$1.54 Rp 26.5K

$1.51 Rp 26.0K

1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 Rp 142.1K

$9.21 Rp 158.3K

-10.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 38.6K

$3.35 Rp 57.6K

-32.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 Rp 157.4K

$8.17 Rp 140.5K

12.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 40.8K

$2.32 Rp 39.8K

2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 24.9K

$1.48 Rp 25.4K

-2.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.1K

$2.09 Rp 36.0K

-13.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.0K

$1.44 Rp 24.7K

9.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 Rp 12.1K

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

-49.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 27.5K

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

-10.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 16.3K

$1.15 Rp 19.8K

-17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,101

$0.43 Rp 7,323

-16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 Rp 30.6K

$2.46 Rp 42.2K

-27.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.99 Rp 343.5K

$26.02 Rp 447.1K

-23.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 Rp 39.3K

$1.77 Rp 30.4K

28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 38.8K

$3.32 Rp 57.1K

-31.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 Rp 7,216

$0.48 Rp 8,202

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.56 Rp 164.3K

$9.47 Rp 162.7K

0.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 9,833

$0.44 Rp 7,580

29.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 5,955

$0.31 Rp 5,358

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 50.8K

$2.70 Rp 46.4K

9.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$0.86 Rp 14.8K

19.77%

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

$24.2K Rp 415.9M

$21.2K Rp 364.4M

14.13%

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

$27.9K Rp 479.0M

$34.6K Rp 594.4M

-19.41%

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

$26.84 Rp 461.2K

$83.8 Rp 1.4M

-67.98%

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

$4.23 Rp 72.7K

$4.17 Rp 71.7K

1.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.97 Rp 394.8K

$19.55 Rp 336.0K

17.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.36 Rp 401.5K

$21.75 Rp 373.7K

7.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 Rp 103.5K

$4.36 Rp 75.0K

38.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 52.4K

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

2.69%

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

$24.23 Rp 416.4K

$190 Rp 3.3M

-87.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,734 Rp 132.9M

$9,220 Rp 158.5M

-16.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.29 Rp 262.7K

$62.5 Rp 1.1M

-75.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.08 Rp 310.7K

$38.60 Rp 663.4K

-53.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 Rp 1.1M

$76.3 Rp 1.3M

-13.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.2 Rp 1.3M

$82.9 Rp 1.4M

-10.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 Rp 4.5M

$249 Rp 4.3M

5.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.7M

$137 Rp 2.4M

16.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 Rp 9.9M

$764 Rp 13.1M

-24.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 Rp 5.7M

$400 Rp 6.9M

-16.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,229 Rp 21.1M

$2,309 Rp 39.7M

-46.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$767 Rp 13.2M

$1,123 Rp 19.3M

-31.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 2.9M

$304 Rp 5.2M

-44.91%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $263 in Sibolga and $249 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 82% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12 in Sibolga vs $12 in Surabaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $229 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 12% in total monthly costs ($616 vs $689 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Surabaya earns 82% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $263 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 $616 per month in Sibolga versus $689 in Surabaya – a 12% 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 12% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.