Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Jakarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Jakarta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $688 per month in Surabaya vs $799 in Jakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,205 per month in Surabaya vs $1,304 in Jakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,722 per month in Surabaya vs $1,809 in Jakarta, rent included.

Surabaya is about 14% cheaper than Jakarta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Surabaya and Jakarta are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 50% lower, Jakarta 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

$2.61 Rp 46.0K

-36.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.40 Rp 201.0K

$17.12 Rp 301.7K

-33.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.24 Rp 57.2K

$3.46 Rp 61.0K

-6.36%

Cappuccino

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.96 Rp 34.6K

-20.41%

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

$0.56 Rp 9,841

$0.42 Rp 7,410

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,572

$0.27 Rp 4,765

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

-14.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

$3.92 Rp 69.2K

11.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

$1.42 Rp 25.0K

-14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

21.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

$0.92 Rp 16.3K

-6.52%

Eggs

$1.21 Rp 21.2K

$1.80 Rp 31.8K

-32.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 Rp 137.5K

$9.72 Rp 171.4K

-19.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 Rp 52.2K

$3.01 Rp 53.1K

-1.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 Rp 138.8K

$7.78 Rp 137.1K

1.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

$2.92 Rp 51.5K

-30.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 32.9K

$2.66 Rp 46.9K

-29.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

$1.36 Rp 24.0K

11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

$1.41 Rp 24.8K

-2.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

$2.10 Rp 37.0K

-8.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

$0.99 Rp 17.4K

-2.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,050

$0.48 Rp 8,492

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$2.88 Rp 50.9K

-31.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.35 Rp 447.0K

$21.58 Rp 380.4K

17.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

$2.15 Rp 38.0K

-20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

$3.05 Rp 53.7K

-5.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 Rp 6,271

$0.27 Rp 4,747

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.93 Rp 210.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,334

$0.49 Rp 8,616

-4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,293

$0.35 Rp 6,252

34.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

$3.42 Rp 60.3K

-21.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.78 Rp 13.7K

2.56%

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

$24.7K Rp 435.5M

$27.9K Rp 492.5M

-11.57%

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

$33.1K Rp 583.3M

$34.1K Rp 600.3M

-2.83%

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

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$110 Rp 1.9M

-18.90%

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

$4.83 Rp 85.2K

$5.82 Rp 102.7K

-17.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.84 Rp 349.7K

$19.33 Rp 340.8K

2.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.57 Rp 327.4K

$26.69 Rp 470.5K

-30.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.54 Rp 115.3K

$14.24 Rp 251.1K

-54.07%

Cinema Ticket

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

$3.29 Rp 58.1K

-19.45%

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

$286 Rp 5.0M

$156 Rp 2.7M

83.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,694 Rp 170.9M

$8,348 Rp 147.2M

16.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

$60.2 Rp 1.1M

18.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 Rp 695.8K

$30.59 Rp 539.3K

29.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

10.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

$107 Rp 1.9M

-29.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 Rp 5.1M

$364 Rp 6.4M

-20.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.6M

$199 Rp 3.5M

-24.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 Rp 22.5M

$1,178 Rp 20.8M

8.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 Rp 10.9M

$577 Rp 10.2M

7.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

$3,054 Rp 53.8M

-26.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,073 Rp 18.9M

$1,485 Rp 26.2M

-27.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$454 Rp 8.0M

-38.88%

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 1, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in Surabaya versus $364 in Jakarta. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 64% higher in Jakarta, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Surabaya versus $17.00 in Jakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $222 – making Surabaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakarta costs about 16% more than Surabaya, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,032 per month in Surabaya and $1,198 in Jakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surabaya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Surabaya and $17.00 in Jakarta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Jakarta, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $688 in Surabaya and $799 in Jakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surabaya costs $688 versus $799 in Jakarta. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Surabaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jakarta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.