Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Bekasi

For one person, living is cheaper in Bekasi: $659 a month against $682 in Surabaya, rent and utilities included – about $280 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Surabaya outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Surabaya, Indonesia
Bekasi, Indonesia
Surabaya
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$682
/mo nomad
Bekasi
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$659
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Surabaya and in Bekasi

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 Bekasi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $682 in Surabaya versus $659 in Bekasi.

  • Surabaya $682
  • Bekasi $659

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,188 in Surabaya versus $1,069 in Bekasi.

  • Surabaya $1,188
  • Bekasi $1,069

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,694 in Surabaya versus $1,479 in Bekasi.

  • Surabaya $1,694
  • Bekasi $1,479

Living in Surabaya is roughly 3% more expensive than in Bekasi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 50% lower, Bekasi 51% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surabaya
Bekasi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.62 Rp 29.3K
$2.83 Rp 51.1K
-42.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.34 Rp 205.0K
$14.64 Rp 264.6K
-22.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.74 Rp 49.5K
$3.37 Rp 61.0K
-18.69%
Cappuccino
$1.51 Rp 27.3K
$1.53 Rp 27.7K
-1.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 Rp 12.0K
$0.46 Rp 8,237
43.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 Rp 5,122
$0.24 Rp 4,352
16.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 Rp 39.6K
$2.48 Rp 44.8K
-11.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.07 Rp 73.7K
$3.71 Rp 67.1K
9.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surabaya
Bekasi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 Rp 21.7K
$1.14 Rp 20.6K
5.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 Rp 23.5K
$1.11 Rp 20.0K
17.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.87 Rp 15.6K
$0.89 Rp 16.1K
-2.25%
Eggs
$1.19 Rp 21.5K
$1.62 Rp 29.3K
-26.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.45 Rp 134.7K
$9.21 Rp 166.4K
-19.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.91 Rp 52.5K
$2.82 Rp 51.0K
3.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.47 Rp 135.0K
$7.86 Rp 142.0K
-4.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.00 Rp 36.2K
$2.69 Rp 48.7K
-25.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.28 Rp 23.2K
$1.31 Rp 23.6K
-2.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 Rp 32.9K
$2.56 Rp 46.3K
-28.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 Rp 28.0K
$1.36 Rp 24.6K
13.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 Rp 23.4K
$1.37 Rp 24.8K
-5.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 Rp 35.4K
$2.18 Rp 39.4K
-10.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.95 Rp 17.1K
$0.84 Rp 15.2K
13.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 Rp 7,700
$0.40 Rp 7,218
7.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.89 Rp 34.2K
$2.72 Rp 49.2K
-30.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.59 Rp 444.4K
$21.92 Rp 396.3K
12.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 Rp 30.3K
$1.91 Rp 34.4K
-12.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 Rp 50.9K
$3.24 Rp 58.6K
-12.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Surabaya
Bekasi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,306
$0.34 Rp 6,172
-14.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.73 Rp 302.3K
$11.16 Rp 201.7K
49.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.50 Rp 9,009
$0.82 Rp 14.8K
-39.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,585
$0.43 Rp 7,738
-2.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.58 Rp 46.5K
$2.23 Rp 40.3K
15.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.87 Rp 15.7K
$0.91 Rp 16.4K
-4.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0K Rp 451.7M
$20.8K Rp 376.2M
20.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 580.1M
$32.7K Rp 590.6M
-1.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surabaya
Bekasi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$86.4 Rp 1.6M
$63.3 Rp 1.1M
36.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.56 Rp 82.4K
$5.92 Rp 107.0K
-22.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.27 Rp 348.4K
$18.82 Rp 340.1K
2.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surabaya
Bekasi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.43 Rp 279.0K
$15.42 Rp 278.8K
0.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.74 Rp 121.8K
$6.32 Rp 114.2K
6.65%
Cinema Ticket
$2.61 Rp 47.2K
$3.13 Rp 56.6K
-16.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surabaya
Bekasi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$280 Rp 5.1M
$126 Rp 2.3M
122.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,211 Rp 76.1M
$10.4K Rp 187.5M
-59.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surabaya
Bekasi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.0 Rp 1.2M
$59.8 Rp 1.1M
15.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.98 Rp 686.5K
$31.27 Rp 565.2K
21.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.3 Rp 1.5M
$75.9 Rp 1.4M
7.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.3 Rp 1.3M
$93.2 Rp 1.7M
-22.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surabaya
Bekasi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$273 Rp 4.9M
$204 Rp 3.7M
33.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$146 Rp 2.6M
$131 Rp 2.4M
11.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,230 Rp 22.2M
$463 Rp 8.4M
165.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$611 Rp 11.0M
$359 Rp 6.5M
70.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,179 Rp 39.4M
$596 Rp 10.8M
265.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,072 Rp 19.4M
$906 Rp 16.4M
18.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surabaya
Bekasi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$253 Rp 4.6M
$353 Rp 6.4M
-28.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.5
9.45
-20.63%

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

Last update for Surabaya: November 3, 2026

Last update for Bekasi: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Surabaya
$205
Bekasi
$213 3.7% $7.5
Accommodation & Living
Surabaya
$146
Bekasi
$131 10.3% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Surabaya
$117
Bekasi
$117 0.2% $0.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surabaya
$110
Bekasi
$88 20.1% $22
Eating Out
Surabaya
$62
Bekasi
$74 18.6% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Surabaya
$21
Bekasi
$22 5% $1
Getting Around
Surabaya
$21
Bekasi
$15 24.5% $5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $273 in Surabaya and $204 in Bekasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bekasi pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $11 in Surabaya vs $15 in Bekasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $213 per month, with Surabaya cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Surabaya
🇮🇩 Bekasi
🕒 Local time
01:20 1:20 AM
01:20 1:20 AM
Same time as Surabaya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,765,487
2,334,871
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18,075 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.53 USD). 1 EUR = 20,311 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Surabaya Bekasi 640 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Surabaya
  • Bekasi

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 Bekasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Surabaya and in Bekasi?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $682 in Surabaya and $659 in Bekasi, so Bekasi is about 3% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Surabaya. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Surabaya and in Bekasi?
Rent for a central apartment: $273 in Surabaya versus $204 in Bekasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Surabaya – a meal for two runs $11 versus $15 in Bekasi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Surabaya or Bekasi?
All in, you’ll spend $682 per month in Surabaya versus $659 in Bekasi – Bekasi is about 3% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How far does $1,200 go in Surabaya compared to Bekasi?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bekasi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Surabaya and Bekasi?
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.

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