Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Binjai Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Binjai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $676 in Surabaya versus $630 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,202 in Surabaya versus $999 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,728 in Surabaya versus $1,368 in Binjai.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 7% more expensive than in Binjai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 51% lower, Binjai 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

-7.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

$13.39 Rp 237.1K

-14.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

$3.68 Rp 65.1K

-11.68%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

5.33%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.42 Rp 7,358

47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,554

$0.21 Rp 3,645

23.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$2.50 Rp 44.3K

-11.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

$3.75 Rp 66.3K

16.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.25 Rp 22.2K

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

25.00%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

-4.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$6.58 Rp 116.5K

15.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$2.74 Rp 48.6K

12.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

$8.08 Rp 143.1K

-5.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$2.15 Rp 38.0K

-1.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

-8.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

30.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

19.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$1.22 Rp 21.6K

9.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.85 Rp 15.1K

16.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,186

$0.37 Rp 6,537

10.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$2.83 Rp 50.1K

-32.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

$21.70 Rp 384.2K

16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

-5.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$2.64 Rp 46.7K

10.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$0.25 Rp 4,483

32.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,236

$0.56 Rp 9,978

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,630

$0.30 Rp 5,244

43.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

$2.66 Rp 47.1K

3.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-1.28%

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

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

$26.2K Rp 464.1M

-5.37%

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

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

$27.8K Rp 491.5M

17.06%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

24.95%

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

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

$4.25 Rp 75.3K

10.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

$19.66 Rp 348.1K

-0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

$19.67 Rp 348.2K

-4.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

$7.88 Rp 139.6K

-11.68%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$3.16 Rp 55.9K

-14.56%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

207.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

$7,718 Rp 136.7M

27.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$39.81 Rp 704.9K

80.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

$25.09 Rp 444.2K

60.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$70.1 Rp 1.2M

18.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$64.3 Rp 1.1M

18.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$248 Rp 4.4M

13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$141 Rp 2.5M

6.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

$645 Rp 11.4M

94.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$381 Rp 6.7M

62.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

$1,248 Rp 22.1M

77.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

$579 Rp 10.2M

85.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

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 Binjai: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Surabaya and $248 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surabaya vs $13.00 in Binjai. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $194, with Binjai 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 Binjai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binjai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,015 in Surabaya and $945 in Binjai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $282 in Surabaya versus $248 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Surabaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $676 per month in Surabaya versus $630 in Binjai – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Binjai 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 Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.