Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Banda Aceh Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Banda Aceh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $702 per month in Surabaya vs $583 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,129 per month in Surabaya vs $906 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,557 per month in Surabaya vs $1,229 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 20% more than Banda Aceh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surabaya and Banda Aceh are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 47% lower, Banda Aceh 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.42 Rp 224.2K

$12.45 Rp 224.7K

-0.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

$3.28 Rp 59.3K

-7.62%

Cappuccino

$1.76 Rp 31.7K

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

53.04%

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

$0.66 Rp 11.9K

$0.51 Rp 9,286

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,096

$0.28 Rp 5,063

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 Rp 44.1K

$2.44 Rp 44.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 Rp 73.8K

$3.51 Rp 63.3K

16.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 25.9K

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

28.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

53.12%

Eggs

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

-1.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 Rp 167.5K

$8.00 Rp 144.3K

16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 Rp 58.5K

$3.13 Rp 56.5K

3.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 Rp 146.7K

$7.96 Rp 143.7K

2.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 39.4K

$1.79 Rp 32.4K

21.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

-4.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

$1.32 Rp 23.9K

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

$1.96 Rp 35.4K

-11.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

29.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,229

$0.45 Rp 8,115

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.6K

$2.56 Rp 46.2K

-1.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.18 Rp 454.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$2.03 Rp 36.7K

-12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Rp 59.5K

$3.21 Rp 57.9K

2.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 Rp 8,032

$0.30 Rp 5,381

46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.26 Rp 167.2K

$9.73 Rp 175.7K

-4.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,115

$0.53 Rp 9,542

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,634

$0.34 Rp 6,201

-8.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 Rp 49.5K

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

-3.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

45.00%

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

$20.8K Rp 374.8M

$24.9K Rp 449.7M

-16.66%

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

$34.9K Rp 629.2M

$27.7K Rp 499.6M

25.94%

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$70.1 Rp 1.3M

18.32%

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

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$4.20 Rp 75.8K

-0.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 Rp 350.9K

$23.02 Rp 415.5K

-15.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.63 Rp 390.4K

$23.46 Rp 423.5K

-7.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

$6.13 Rp 110.7K

-28.55%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 53.9K

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

-1.65%

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

$186 Rp 3.4M

$93.1 Rp 1.7M

99.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,266 Rp 167.3M

$7,626 Rp 137.7M

21.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$31.92 Rp 576.2K

96.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.49 Rp 694.9K

$23.38 Rp 422.1K

64.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 Rp 1.4M

$35.46 Rp 640.1K

116.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

$34.16 Rp 616.6K

145.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 Rp 4.5M

$258 Rp 4.6M

-3.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 Rp 2.5M

$158 Rp 2.8M

-12.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 Rp 14.0M

$579 Rp 10.5M

33.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 Rp 7.1M

$337 Rp 6.1M

16.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,136 Rp 38.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 Rp 19.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

9.15

-8.96%

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

Last update for Surabaya: July 27, 2026

Last update for Banda Aceh: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $249 in Surabaya versus $258 in Banda Aceh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya versus $12.00 in Banda Aceh. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Surabaya vs $165 in Banda Aceh – so Banda Aceh wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Banda Aceh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,053 per month in Surabaya and $874 in Banda Aceh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Banda Aceh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $186 per month in Surabaya and $93.1 in Banda Aceh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Surabaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $702 in Surabaya and $583 in Banda Aceh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Banda Aceh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Banda Aceh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surabaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.