Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Bekasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Bekasi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $702 in Surabaya versus $755 in Bekasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,117 in Surabaya versus $1,160 in Bekasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,532 in Surabaya versus $1,566 in Bekasi.

Living in Surabaya costs roughly 7% less than in Bekasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 47% lower, Bekasi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$3.15 Rp 56.5K

-49.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.11 Rp 217.6K

$12.19 Rp 219.0K

-0.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.05 Rp 54.9K

$3.28 Rp 59.0K

-7.01%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

-6.25%

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

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$0.49 Rp 8,854

30.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,048

$0.28 Rp 5,073

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 43.2K

$3.35 Rp 60.2K

-28.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 Rp 73.5K

$4.23 Rp 76.1K

-3.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

-8.74%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-15.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 Rp 166.1K

$8.99 Rp 161.6K

2.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

$3.16 Rp 56.7K

0.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 Rp 146.0K

$7.67 Rp 137.8K

6.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

$2.82 Rp 50.7K

-14.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-3.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

-1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

$1.48 Rp 26.7K

-10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$2.58 Rp 46.3K

-32.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,091

$0.42 Rp 7,595

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

$2.51 Rp 45.2K

-2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.13 Rp 451.6K

$22.33 Rp 401.3K

12.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

$2.09 Rp 37.5K

-11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.5K

$3.07 Rp 55.2K

7.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 Rp 7,860

$0.39 Rp 6,977

12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.48 Rp 170.4K

$12.45 Rp 223.7K

-23.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,592

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

-23.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,615

$0.38 Rp 6,768

-18.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.59 Rp 46.6K

5.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

11.69%

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

$20.5K Rp 368.6M

$24.8K Rp 445.7M

-17.29%

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

$35.0K Rp 629.7M

$25.8K Rp 463.3M

35.92%

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$65.0 Rp 1.2M

27.73%

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

$4.31 Rp 77.5K

$4.73 Rp 84.9K

-8.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.61 Rp 352.5K

$25.82 Rp 463.9K

-24.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.82 Rp 392.2K

$17.28 Rp 310.6K

26.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.59 Rp 82.6K

$4.71 Rp 84.6K

-2.55%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

$3.01 Rp 54.2K

-4.65%

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

$186 Rp 3.3M

$99.8 Rp 1.8M

86.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,556 Rp 171.7M

$8,249 Rp 148.3M

15.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$56.5 Rp 1.0M

11.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 Rp 698.2K

$34.02 Rp 611.4K

14.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

$84.0 Rp 1.5M

-7.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

$91.1 Rp 1.6M

-8.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.4M

$310 Rp 5.6M

-21.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 Rp 2.4M

$185 Rp 3.3M

-26.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 Rp 14.2M

$549 Rp 9.9M

44.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 Rp 7.2M

$374 Rp 6.7M

6.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 Rp 39.6M

$578 Rp 10.4M

281.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

$905 Rp 16.3M

15.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$355 Rp 6.4M

-24.20%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Bekasi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Surabaya and $310 in Bekasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bekasi pays 32% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surabaya vs $12.00 in Bekasi. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 vs $221, with Bekasi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Surabaya and Bekasi differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($702 vs $755 including rent). Surabaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Bekasi. 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 $310 in Bekasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Surabaya – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $12.00 in Bekasi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $702 per month in Surabaya versus $755 in Bekasi – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

Expats usually find Surabaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Bekasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.