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: $676 in Surabaya versus $664 in Bekasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,202 in Surabaya versus $1,081 in Bekasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,728 in Surabaya versus $1,498 in Bekasi.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 2% more expensive than in Bekasi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$2.51 Rp 44.5K

-31.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 204.3K

$14.25 Rp 252.9K

-19.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.7K

$3.34 Rp 59.3K

-2.69%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

1.28%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.42 Rp 7,460

47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,565

$0.25 Rp 4,441

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$2.66 Rp 47.2K

-16.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.4K

$3.89 Rp 69.0K

12.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.17 Rp 20.8K

8.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.92 Rp 16.4K

-2.17%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

-26.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 135.2K

$9.71 Rp 172.4K

-21.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.9K

$3.02 Rp 53.5K

2.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.9K

$7.85 Rp 139.2K

-3.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.6K

$2.84 Rp 50.4K

-25.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.42 Rp 25.2K

-9.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.1K

$2.66 Rp 47.2K

-27.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

13.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.8K

$1.41 Rp 25.0K

-4.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 36.0K

$2.13 Rp 37.9K

-4.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.93 Rp 16.5K

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,202

$0.45 Rp 7,985

-8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.1K

$2.68 Rp 47.6K

-28.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 447.8K

$22.26 Rp 395.1K

13.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.5K

$2.02 Rp 35.9K

-12.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.8K

$3.18 Rp 56.4K

-8.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,838

$0.35 Rp 6,283

-5.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 Rp 201.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,257

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

-39.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,648

$0.45 Rp 7,957

-4.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 49.0K

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

18.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

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

$24.8K Rp 440.2M

$21.3K Rp 378.0M

16.46%

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

$32.5K Rp 576.7M

$33.2K Rp 589.5M

-2.18%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$64.9 Rp 1.2M

33.60%

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

$4.68 Rp 83.1K

$6.07 Rp 107.7K

-22.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 345.5K

$19.54 Rp 346.7K

-0.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 332.2K

$16.16 Rp 286.8K

15.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.5K

$6.31 Rp 112.1K

10.30%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.9K

$3.47 Rp 61.6K

-22.19%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$132 Rp 2.4M

113.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 175.1M

$8,275 Rp 146.9M

19.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$59.7 Rp 1.1M

20.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 714.0K

$32.87 Rp 583.4K

22.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$77.0 Rp 1.4M

7.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

-20.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$204 Rp 3.6M

37.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$133 Rp 2.4M

12.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.3M

$469 Rp 8.3M

167.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$363 Rp 6.4M

70.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.4M

$596 Rp 10.6M

272.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

$911 Rp 16.2M

17.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$372 Rp 6.6M

-25.69%

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bekasi: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Surabaya and $204 in Bekasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bekasi pays 35% 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 $14.00 in Bekasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $220 per month, with Surabaya 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 Bekasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surabaya and Bekasi differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($676 vs $664 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 35% 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: $282 in Surabaya versus $204 in Bekasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Surabaya pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $676 per month in Surabaya versus $664 in Bekasi – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

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 Bekasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.