Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Balikpapan Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Balikpapan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $676 in Surabaya versus $672 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,202 in Surabaya versus $1,070 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,728 in Surabaya versus $1,468 in Balikpapan.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 1% more expensive than in Balikpapan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 51% lower, Balikpapan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

25.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

$11.14 Rp 197.3K

3.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

$3.17 Rp 56.1K

2.52%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

8.97%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.38 Rp 6,782

63.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,554

$0.37 Rp 6,529

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$2.40 Rp 42.5K

-7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

$3.53 Rp 62.5K

23.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

6.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

17.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

-23.08%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

-52.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$7.34 Rp 130.0K

3.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

4.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

$6.78 Rp 120.1K

12.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

-7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

0.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

12.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

25.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

2.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$2.01 Rp 35.6K

1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

35.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,186

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

-40.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

1.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

$20.60 Rp 364.7K

22.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-7.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

-2.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$0.55 Rp 9,817

-40.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,236

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

-54.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,630

$0.34 Rp 5,944

26.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

-4.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

1.32%

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

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

$23.5K Rp 416.3M

5.51%

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

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

$31.2K Rp 552.0M

4.23%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

23.98%

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

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

3.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

$29.58 Rp 523.8K

-34.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

$24.45 Rp 433.0K

-23.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

$8.64 Rp 153.1K

-19.44%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

-5.26%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

198.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

$6,923 Rp 122.6M

42.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$38.44 Rp 680.6K

87.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

$19.51 Rp 345.5K

106.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$141 Rp 2.5M

-41.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

7.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$203 Rp 3.6M

38.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$156 Rp 2.8M

-3.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

$557 Rp 9.9M

125.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$367 Rp 6.5M

68.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

$1,079 Rp 19.1M

105.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

$709 Rp 12.6M

51.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$245 Rp 4.3M

12.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

9.46

-20.72%

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

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Surabaya and $203 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 13% 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: $12.00 in Surabaya vs $11.00 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $203 per month, with Balikpapan 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

Surabaya vs Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surabaya and Balikpapan differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($676 vs $672 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Surabaya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $282 in Surabaya versus $203 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $283 in Surabaya versus $94.7 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Balikpapan – a meal for two runs $11.00 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 Balikpapan 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.

Safety-wise, Surabaya and Balikpapan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.