Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Jambi Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Jambi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $687 in Surabaya versus $652 in Jambi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,113 in Surabaya versus $1,017 in Jambi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,540 in Surabaya versus $1,381 in Jambi.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 5% more expensive than in Jambi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 49% lower, Jambi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

-8.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.41 Rp 222.6K

$18.29 Rp 328.1K

-32.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.09 Rp 55.4K

$3.44 Rp 61.6K

-10.17%

Cappuccino

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

26.24%

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

$0.61 Rp 10.9K

$1.24 Rp 22.3K

-50.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,043

$0.21 Rp 3,759

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 Rp 45.2K

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

5.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 70.2K

$2.50 Rp 44.8K

56.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

28.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

6.82%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

-4.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 Rp 166.1K

$8.33 Rp 149.3K

11.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 Rp 59.9K

$3.07 Rp 55.0K

8.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.17 Rp 146.5K

$7.98 Rp 143.1K

2.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

-1.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

20.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

-7.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

$1.89 Rp 34.0K

-5.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

26.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,244

$0.41 Rp 7,335

12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 Rp 45.6K

$2.55 Rp 45.8K

-0.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.47 Rp 456.8K

$22.18 Rp 397.7K

14.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$2.04 Rp 36.6K

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 Rp 58.7K

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

5.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 Rp 8,500

$0.30 Rp 5,371

56.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.17 Rp 164.5K

$9.80 Rp 175.7K

-6.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,993

$0.53 Rp 9,547

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,573

$0.34 Rp 6,134

-8.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 Rp 48.4K

$2.85 Rp 51.1K

-5.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

7.89%

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

$20.9K Rp 375.5M

$24.4K Rp 436.9M

-14.06%

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

$34.9K Rp 625.3M

$27.7K Rp 496.8M

25.88%

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

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

$69.1 Rp 1.2M

20.45%

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

$4.12 Rp 74.0K

$4.40 Rp 78.9K

-6.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.34 Rp 346.8K

$22.34 Rp 400.7K

-13.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.77 Rp 390.4K

$16.79 Rp 301.1K

29.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.46 Rp 79.9K

$6.01 Rp 107.9K

-25.79%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

2.12%

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

$186 Rp 3.3M

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

95.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,359 Rp 167.9M

$7,592 Rp 136.2M

23.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

$42.28 Rp 758.2K

44.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.67 Rp 693.5K

$31.14 Rp 558.4K

24.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 Rp 1.4M

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

14.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

11.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 Rp 4.4M

$258 Rp 4.6M

-3.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 Rp 2.4M

$157 Rp 2.8M

-14.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 Rp 14.1M

$588 Rp 10.5M

33.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 Rp 7.2M

$332 Rp 6.0M

21.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,205 Rp 39.6M

$1,111 Rp 19.9M

98.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 Rp 19.0M

$769 Rp 13.8M

37.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 Rp 4.8M

$203 Rp 3.6M

32.08%

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 21, 2026

Last update for Jambi: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $248 in Surabaya and $258 in Jambi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya 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 $18.00 in Jambi. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 vs $210, with Jambi 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 Jambi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surabaya and Jambi differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($687 vs $652 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Surabaya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $248 in Surabaya versus $258 in Jambi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $687 per month in Surabaya versus $652 in Jambi – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jambi runs roughly 7% less than in Surabaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Jambi 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 Jambi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.