Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Jayapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Jayapura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $698 in Surabaya versus $685 in Jayapura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,123 in Surabaya versus $1,036 in Jayapura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,547 in Surabaya versus $1,387 in Jayapura.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 2% more expensive than in Jayapura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 48% lower, Jayapura 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

$1.79 Rp 31.9K

-15.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.15 Rp 216.5K

$10.30 Rp 183.5K

17.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.10 Rp 55.2K

$3.16 Rp 56.2K

-1.90%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

$1.78 Rp 31.7K

1.12%

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

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

-17.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,040

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

-51.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 43.0K

$3.83 Rp 68.2K

-37.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 Rp 70.4K

$4.41 Rp 78.7K

-10.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.6K

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

14.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 Rp 25.7K

$1.13 Rp 20.1K

27.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

6.82%

Eggs

$1.46 Rp 26.0K

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

-3.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 Rp 164.0K

$8.26 Rp 147.1K

11.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

$3.11 Rp 55.4K

3.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 Rp 151.2K

$7.95 Rp 141.6K

6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.2K

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

-0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

$1.49 Rp 26.6K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Rp 38.6K

$1.88 Rp 33.5K

15.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.7K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.9K

$1.31 Rp 23.4K

2.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 Rp 31.6K

$1.93 Rp 34.4K

-8.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 Rp 21.3K

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

22.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,233

$0.45 Rp 8,015

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.45 Rp 43.7K

0.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.63 Rp 456.7K

$21.46 Rp 382.4K

19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 Rp 31.6K

$2.03 Rp 36.1K

-12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 Rp 57.1K

$3.18 Rp 56.7K

0.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 Rp 8,378

$0.32 Rp 5,730

46.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.00 Rp 160.5K

$9.96 Rp 177.4K

-9.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,433

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

-17.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,135

$0.38 Rp 6,699

-23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 Rp 48.2K

$2.86 Rp 50.9K

-5.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

$0.82 Rp 14.5K

4.88%

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

$20.5K Rp 366.1M

$24.2K Rp 430.9M

-15.04%

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

$35.5K Rp 631.9M

$27.5K Rp 489.2M

29.15%

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

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

$68.4 Rp 1.2M

21.54%

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

$4.25 Rp 75.7K

$4.26 Rp 76.0K

-0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 Rp 350.1K

$22.38 Rp 398.9K

-12.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.20 Rp 395.6K

$23.23 Rp 413.9K

-4.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.53 Rp 80.8K

$6.28 Rp 112.0K

-27.87%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 Rp 51.4K

$3.01 Rp 53.7K

-3.99%

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

$191 Rp 3.4M

$92.9 Rp 1.7M

105.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,339 Rp 166.4M

$7,459 Rp 132.9M

25.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 Rp 1.1M

$41.04 Rp 731.3K

49.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.25 Rp 681.7K

$30.59 Rp 545.2K

25.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 Rp 1.4M

$66.5 Rp 1.2M

16.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

$74.2 Rp 1.3M

10.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 Rp 4.3M

$260 Rp 4.6M

-6.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 Rp 2.5M

$159 Rp 2.8M

-13.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 Rp 13.9M

$587 Rp 10.5M

33.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 Rp 7.0M

$330 Rp 5.9M

19.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,234 Rp 39.8M

$1,242 Rp 22.1M

79.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.1M

$800 Rp 14.3M

33.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 Rp 5.0M

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Jayapura: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in Surabaya and $260 in Jayapura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surabaya vs $10.00 in Jayapura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $210 per month, with Jayapura 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 Jayapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jayapura is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,047 in Surabaya and $1,027 in Jayapura 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: $243 in Surabaya versus $260 in Jayapura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $191 in Surabaya versus $92.9 in Jayapura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Jayapura 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 Jayapura 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.