Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Banjarmasin

For one person, living is cheaper in Banjarmasin: $576 a month against $685 in Surabaya, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Surabaya, Indonesia
Banjarmasin, Indonesia
Surabaya
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$685
/mo nomad
Banjarmasin
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$576
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Surabaya and in Banjarmasin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Surabaya and in Banjarmasin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $685 per month in Surabaya vs $576 in Banjarmasin, rent included.

  • Surabaya $685
  • Banjarmasin $576

A couple spends around $1,189 per month in Surabaya vs $878 in Banjarmasin, rent included.

  • Surabaya $1,189
  • Banjarmasin $878

A family of three spends $1,693 per month in Surabaya vs $1,180 in Banjarmasin, rent included.

  • Surabaya $1,693
  • Banjarmasin $1,180

Surabaya costs about 19% more than Banjarmasin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Surabaya and Banjarmasin are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 50% lower, Banjarmasin 58% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surabaya
Banjarmasin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.68 Rp 30.5K
$1.07 Rp 19.5K
57.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.51 Rp 209.1K
$13.36 Rp 242.7K
-13.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.11 Rp 56.5K
$3.28 Rp 59.5K
-5.18%
Cappuccino
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$1.22 Rp 22.1K
26.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 Rp 10.6K
$0.83 Rp 15.1K
-28.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 Rp 5,128
$0.31 Rp 5,570
-9.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$5.10 Rp 92.6K
-56.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.20 Rp 76.3K
$3.53 Rp 64.2K
18.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surabaya
Banjarmasin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 Rp 22.7K
$1.29 Rp 23.4K
-3.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 Rp 22.8K
$0.95 Rp 17.2K
31.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.81 Rp 14.8K
$0.81 Rp 14.8K
-
Eggs
$1.18 Rp 21.4K
$1.52 Rp 27.7K
-22.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.35 Rp 133.4K
$7.35 Rp 133.5K
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.02 Rp 54.9K
$2.04 Rp 37.0K
48.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.40 Rp 134.4K
$3.20 Rp 58.2K
131.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.04 Rp 37.1K
$1.92 Rp 34.8K
6.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 Rp 22.6K
$1.16 Rp 21.1K
6.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 Rp 33.8K
$0.91 Rp 16.5K
104.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.47 Rp 26.7K
$1.16 Rp 21.1K
26.72%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 Rp 24.4K
$1.20 Rp 21.7K
11.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 Rp 34.2K
$0.94 Rp 17.1K
100.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.96 Rp 17.4K
$0.80 Rp 14.5K
20.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39 Rp 7,116
$0.39 Rp 7,138
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.95 Rp 35.4K
$1.92 Rp 34.8K
1.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.42 Rp 443.5K
$20.44 Rp 371.1K
19.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.2K
$1.60 Rp 29.0K
7.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
$3.16 Rp 57.4K
-6.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Surabaya
Banjarmasin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,850
$0.23 Rp 4,250
17.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.60 Rp 301.5K
$11.46 Rp 208.1K
44.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,504
$0.50 Rp 8,991
-6.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,189
$0.34 Rp 6,180
32.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.56 Rp 46.5K
$3.04 Rp 55.3K
-15.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.81 Rp 14.7K
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.3K Rp 442.1M
$24.5K Rp 445.7M
-0.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 575.1M
$32.8K Rp 595.2M
-3.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surabaya
Banjarmasin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$86.6 Rp 1.6M
$40.61 Rp 737.6K
113.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.57 Rp 82.9K
$2.73 Rp 49.6K
67.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.49 Rp 353.9K
$17.09 Rp 310.4K
14.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surabaya
Banjarmasin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.35 Rp 278.8K
$18.17 Rp 330.0K
-15.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.53 Rp 118.5K
$7.90 Rp 143.5K
-17.34%
Cinema Ticket
$2.62 Rp 47.6K
$5.63 Rp 102.3K
-53.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surabaya
Banjarmasin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$270 Rp 4.9M
$91.6 Rp 1.7M
195.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,294 Rp 168.8M
$7,191 Rp 130.6M
29.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surabaya
Banjarmasin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.1 Rp 1.3M
$43.57 Rp 791.3K
58.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.24 Rp 694.5K
$27.00 Rp 490.3K
41.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 Rp 1.4M
$52.1 Rp 945.8K
51.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.5 Rp 1.4M
$31.79 Rp 577.4K
134.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surabaya
Banjarmasin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$274 Rp 5.0M
$204 Rp 3.7M
34.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$148 Rp 2.7M
$164 Rp 3.0M
-9.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,204 Rp 21.9M
$501 Rp 9.1M
140.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$607 Rp 11.0M
$315 Rp 5.7M
92.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,146 Rp 39.0M
$998 Rp 18.1M
115.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,065 Rp 19.3M
$762 Rp 13.8M
39.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surabaya
Banjarmasin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$266 Rp 4.8M
$195 Rp 3.5M
36.40%
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: October 27, 2026

Last update for Banjarmasin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Surabaya
$205
Banjarmasin
$168 17.8% $36
Accommodation & Living
Surabaya
$148
Banjarmasin
$164 11.1% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Surabaya
$117
Banjarmasin
$70 40.7% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surabaya
$111
Banjarmasin
$60 45.4% $50
Eating Out
Surabaya
$64
Banjarmasin
$70 9.2% $5.9
Sport & Entertainment
Surabaya
$21
Banjarmasin
$29 42.9% $8.8
Getting Around
Surabaya
$20
Banjarmasin
$15 28.4% $5.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $274 in Surabaya versus $204 in Banjarmasin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 36% higher in Surabaya. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12 in Surabaya versus $13 in Banjarmasin. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Surabaya vs $168 in Banjarmasin – so Banjarmasin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Surabaya
🇮🇩 Banjarmasin
🕒 Local time
12:33 12:33 PM
13:33 1:33 PM
1 h ahead of Surabaya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,765,487
715,703
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,161 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,355 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Surabaya Banjarmasin 480 km
From you
  • Surabaya
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Banjarmasin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Banjarmasin cheaper than Surabaya?
Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,028 per month in Surabaya and $864 in Banjarmasin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Banjarmasin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $204 there versus $274 in Surabaya.
Is eating out cheaper in Surabaya or in Banjarmasin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $12 in Surabaya and $13 in Banjarmasin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Surabaya and in Banjarmasin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $685 in Surabaya and $576 in Banjarmasin. That makes Banjarmasin about 16% cheaper.
Is $1,000 enough for either Surabaya or Banjarmasin?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $685 in Surabaya and $576 in Banjarmasin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Surabaya or Banjarmasin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Banjarmasin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Banjarmasin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surabaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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