Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Batam Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Batam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $693 in Surabaya versus $683 in Batam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,106 in Surabaya versus $1,136 in Batam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,520 in Surabaya versus $1,588 in Batam.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 1% more expensive than Batam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 48% lower, Batam 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 27.4K

$2.70 Rp 46.8K

-41.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.16 Rp 210.8K

$9.41 Rp 163.2K

29.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.98 Rp 51.7K

$3.64 Rp 63.2K

-18.13%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$2.17 Rp 37.5K

-19.82%

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

$0.65 Rp 11.4K

$1.29 Rp 22.3K

-49.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,460

$0.44 Rp 7,713

-40.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 41.8K

$2.71 Rp 47.0K

-11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 Rp 70.3K

$3.97 Rp 68.9K

2.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 25.0K

$1.17 Rp 20.2K

23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Rp 25.2K

$1.20 Rp 20.8K

21.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 17.4K

$0.78 Rp 13.5K

29.49%

Eggs

$1.46 Rp 25.3K

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

8.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 162.7K

$8.05 Rp 139.6K

16.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 Rp 57.4K

$2.77 Rp 47.9K

19.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 142.9K

$4.77 Rp 82.6K

72.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 39.9K

$2.46 Rp 42.6K

-6.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

$2.20 Rp 38.1K

-31.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 36.9K

$2.28 Rp 39.6K

-6.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

$1.10 Rp 19.1K

35.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.0K

$1.04 Rp 18.0K

27.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.3K

$2.09 Rp 36.2K

-13.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 Rp 20.9K

$1.42 Rp 24.6K

-15.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,874

$0.42 Rp 7,299

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 Rp 44.3K

$2.72 Rp 47.2K

-6.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.75 Rp 446.3K

$14.55 Rp 252.1K

76.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.0K

$1.87 Rp 32.4K

-1.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 Rp 54.4K

$2.70 Rp 46.8K

16.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,241

$0.48 Rp 8,291

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.24 Rp 160.1K

$16.34 Rp 283.2K

-43.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,715

$1.20 Rp 20.8K

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,453

$0.64 Rp 11.0K

-51.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 Rp 47.2K

$3.60 Rp 62.4K

-24.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.7K

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

10.39%

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

$21.0K Rp 364.5M

$28.8K Rp 499.8M

-27.08%

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

$35.7K Rp 619.1M

$18.9K Rp 328.1M

88.70%

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

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

$78.1 Rp 1.4M

7.26%

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

$4.29 Rp 74.3K

$4.01 Rp 69.6K

6.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.62 Rp 340.1K

$25.82 Rp 447.6K

-24.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.80 Rp 377.9K

$30.38 Rp 526.5K

-28.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 Rp 76.5K

$8.33 Rp 144.4K

-46.94%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 51.7K

$3.00 Rp 52.0K

-0.67%

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

$186 Rp 3.2M

$93.3 Rp 1.6M

99.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,464 Rp 164.0M

$3,645 Rp 63.2M

159.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 Rp 1.1M

$34.20 Rp 592.8K

83.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 Rp 679.1K

$20.31 Rp 352.1K

92.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

7.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 Rp 1.4M

$26.94 Rp 466.9K

205.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.2M

$301 Rp 5.2M

-18.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.3M

$166 Rp 2.9M

-18.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 Rp 13.7M

$919 Rp 15.9M

-14.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 Rp 6.8M

$549 Rp 9.5M

-28.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,262 Rp 39.2M

$592 Rp 10.3M

282.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 Rp 19.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 Rp 5.2M

$354 Rp 6.1M

-14.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

13.88

-39.99%

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

Last update for Surabaya: April 25, 2026

Last update for Batam: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Surabaya and $301 in Batam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Batam pays 17% 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 $9.00 in Batam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $186 per month, with Batam 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 Batam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Batam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Batam earns 17% 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: $244 in Surabaya versus $301 in Batam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Batam runs roughly 77% less than in Surabaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $186 in Surabaya versus $93.3 in Batam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Batam 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 Batam 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.