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: $692 in Surabaya versus $628 in Jambi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,196 in Surabaya versus $991 in Jambi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,700 in Surabaya versus $1,354 in Jambi.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 10% more expensive than in Jambi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 50% lower, Jambi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

10.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.58 Rp 204.0K

$12.57 Rp 221.4K

-7.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

$2.92 Rp 51.5K

7.53%

Cappuccino

$1.59 Rp 28.0K

$1.37 Rp 24.1K

16.06%

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

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

$0.46 Rp 8,113

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,557

$0.21 Rp 3,774

23.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 Rp 40.7K

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.8K

$3.44 Rp 60.6K

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 21.4K

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

1.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.12 Rp 19.6K

16.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 14.7K

$0.88 Rp 15.5K

-4.55%

Eggs

$1.21 Rp 21.3K

$1.51 Rp 26.6K

-19.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 Rp 139.2K

$6.31 Rp 111.1K

25.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 Rp 52.3K

$3.17 Rp 55.9K

-6.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 133.8K

$7.28 Rp 128.2K

4.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 37.5K

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

-4.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

$1.31 Rp 23.1K

1.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 32.6K

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

6.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.23 Rp 21.6K

26.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.6K

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.2K

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

3.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.0K

$0.68 Rp 12.0K

42.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,651

$0.44 Rp 7,727

-2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 Rp 35.9K

$2.68 Rp 47.2K

-23.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.91 Rp 456.3K

$23.12 Rp 407.1K

12.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.88 Rp 33.1K

-6.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 Rp 53.4K

$3.09 Rp 54.4K

-1.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,734

$0.31 Rp 5,458

6.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,413

$0.52 Rp 9,183

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,178

$0.31 Rp 5,496

48.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 Rp 48.0K

$3.23 Rp 56.9K

-15.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

1.25%

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

$25.4K Rp 446.5M

$24.2K Rp 426.5M

4.69%

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

$32.7K Rp 575.4M

$29.2K Rp 513.8M

11.98%

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

$89.2 Rp 1.6M

$64.5 Rp 1.1M

38.26%

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

$4.62 Rp 81.4K

$4.08 Rp 71.8K

13.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.75 Rp 347.9K

$18.16 Rp 319.9K

8.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.50 Rp 325.9K

$15.26 Rp 268.8K

21.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.79 Rp 119.6K

$9.00 Rp 158.5K

-24.56%

Cinema Ticket

$2.71 Rp 47.7K

$2.75 Rp 48.4K

-1.45%

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

$278 Rp 4.9M

$91.6 Rp 1.6M

203.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,802 Rp 172.6M

$7,065 Rp 124.4M

38.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

$40.03 Rp 705.0K

81.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.01 Rp 704.8K

$25.35 Rp 446.4K

57.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 Rp 1.4M

$72.3 Rp 1.3M

13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.3M

$62.1 Rp 1.1M

23.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 Rp 5.1M

$262 Rp 4.6M

10.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.6M

$167 Rp 2.9M

-10.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 Rp 22.5M

$626 Rp 11.0M

103.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 Rp 10.7M

$421 Rp 7.4M

44.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 Rp 38.8M

$1,137 Rp 20.0M

93.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,066 Rp 18.8M

$709 Rp 12.5M

50.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 Rp 4.9M

$208 Rp 3.7M

34.33%

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 5, 2026

Last update for Jambi: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $290 in Surabaya and $262 in Jambi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 34% 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 $13.00 in Jambi. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $199, 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 10% in total monthly costs ($692 vs $628 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 34% 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: $290 in Surabaya versus $262 in Jambi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Surabaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $692 per month in Surabaya versus $628 in Jambi – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 10% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.