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: $693 in Surabaya versus $774 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,106 in Surabaya versus $1,193 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,520 in Surabaya versus $1,612 in Balikpapan.

Living in Surabaya costs roughly 11% less than in Balikpapan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 48% lower, Balikpapan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 27.3K

$1.52 Rp 26.3K

3.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.16 Rp 210.0K

$15.63 Rp 269.8K

-22.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.98 Rp 51.5K

$3.42 Rp 59.0K

-12.87%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 30.0K

$1.81 Rp 31.2K

-3.87%

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

$0.65 Rp 11.3K

$0.44 Rp 7,600

47.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,443

$0.39 Rp 6,692

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 41.6K

$2.03 Rp 35.1K

18.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 Rp 70.0K

$3.16 Rp 54.6K

28.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 24.9K

$1.79 Rp 30.9K

-19.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Rp 25.1K

$1.23 Rp 21.3K

18.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 17.4K

$1.28 Rp 22.0K

-21.09%

Eggs

$1.46 Rp 25.2K

$2.66 Rp 46.0K

-45.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 162.1K

$7.92 Rp 136.8K

18.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 Rp 57.2K

$4.80 Rp 82.9K

-31.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 142.3K

$7.99 Rp 137.9K

3.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 39.8K

$3.64 Rp 62.8K

-36.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.1K

$1.50 Rp 25.9K

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 36.7K

$2.13 Rp 36.8K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 25.8K

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

25.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 22.9K

$1.86 Rp 32.1K

-28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.2K

$3.77 Rp 65.0K

-51.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 Rp 20.8K

$1.00 Rp 17.2K

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,844

$0.81 Rp 13.9K

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 Rp 44.1K

$2.06 Rp 35.7K

23.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.75 Rp 444.6K

$22.43 Rp 387.4K

14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 31.9K

$2.18 Rp 37.6K

-15.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 Rp 54.2K

$4.38 Rp 75.7K

-28.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,210

$0.62 Rp 10.7K

-22.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.24 Rp 159.5K

$9.73 Rp 168.1K

-5.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,686

$1.24 Rp 21.5K

-63.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,433

$0.34 Rp 5,912

-8.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 Rp 47.0K

$6.05 Rp 104.4K

-55.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$0.78 Rp 13.5K

8.97%

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

$21.0K Rp 363.1M

$24.6K Rp 424.3M

-14.42%

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

$35.7K Rp 616.7M

$25.9K Rp 447.2M

37.91%

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

$83.8 Rp 1.4M

$91.7 Rp 1.6M

-8.64%

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

$4.29 Rp 74.1K

$3.06 Rp 52.8K

40.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.62 Rp 338.8K

$32.34 Rp 558.4K

-39.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.80 Rp 376.4K

$21.34 Rp 368.4K

2.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 Rp 76.2K

$6.26 Rp 108.0K

-29.39%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 51.5K

$3.00 Rp 51.7K

-0.67%

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

$186 Rp 3.2M

$60.9 Rp 1.1M

205.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,464 Rp 163.4M

$7,667 Rp 132.4M

23.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 Rp 1.1M

$41.90 Rp 723.4K

49.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 Rp 676.5K

$20.46 Rp 353.2K

91.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 Rp 1.3M

$125 Rp 2.2M

-37.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 Rp 1.4M

$121 Rp 2.1M

-32.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.2M

$217 Rp 3.7M

12.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.3M

$156 Rp 2.7M

-13.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 Rp 13.6M

$497 Rp 8.6M

59.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 Rp 6.8M

$303 Rp 5.2M

29.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,262 Rp 39.1M

$1,193 Rp 20.6M

89.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 Rp 19.4M

$876 Rp 15.1M

28.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 Rp 5.2M

$204 Rp 3.5M

47.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

-44.47%

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

Last update for Surabaya: April 25, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Surabaya and $217 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surabaya vs $16.00 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $251 per month, with Surabaya 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 12% in total monthly costs ($693 vs $774 including rent). Surabaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Surabaya pays 48% more on average, 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: $244 in Surabaya versus $217 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Surabaya runs roughly 5% less than in Balikpapan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $186 in Surabaya versus $60.9 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Surabaya 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 Surabaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Balikpapan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.