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: $702 in Surabaya versus $676 in Jayapura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,129 in Surabaya versus $1,023 in Jayapura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,557 in Surabaya versus $1,371 in Jayapura.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 4% more expensive than in Jayapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 47% lower, Jayapura 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

$1.87 Rp 33.8K

-16.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.42 Rp 224.2K

$10.41 Rp 188.0K

19.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

$3.00 Rp 54.1K

1.00%

Cappuccino

$1.76 Rp 31.7K

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

-2.76%

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

$0.66 Rp 11.9K

$0.67 Rp 12.1K

-1.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,096

$0.59 Rp 10.7K

-52.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 Rp 44.1K

$3.75 Rp 67.6K

-34.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 Rp 73.8K

$4.25 Rp 76.8K

-3.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 25.9K

$1.22 Rp 22.0K

18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

28.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

12.64%

Eggs

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

$1.55 Rp 28.0K

-2.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 Rp 167.5K

$8.03 Rp 145.0K

15.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 Rp 58.5K

$3.10 Rp 56.0K

4.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 Rp 146.7K

$7.67 Rp 138.5K

6.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

$1.43 Rp 25.9K

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 39.4K

$1.88 Rp 34.0K

15.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

-5.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

$1.90 Rp 34.3K

-8.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,229

$0.41 Rp 7,419

12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.6K

$2.47 Rp 44.6K

2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.18 Rp 454.5K

$19.87 Rp 358.8K

26.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$2.01 Rp 36.3K

-11.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Rp 59.5K

$3.21 Rp 58.0K

2.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 Rp 8,032

$0.30 Rp 5,384

46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.26 Rp 167.2K

$9.86 Rp 178.1K

-6.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,115

$0.53 Rp 9,603

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,634

$0.35 Rp 6,298

-11.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 Rp 49.5K

$2.86 Rp 51.7K

-4.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

3.57%

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

$20.8K Rp 374.8M

$24.4K Rp 441.3M

-15.08%

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

$34.9K Rp 629.2M

$27.9K Rp 503.9M

24.86%

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$69.2 Rp 1.2M

19.84%

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

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$4.39 Rp 79.3K

-4.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 Rp 350.9K

$22.91 Rp 413.6K

-15.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.63 Rp 390.4K

$23.14 Rp 417.7K

-6.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

$6.00 Rp 108.3K

-27.00%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 53.9K

$3.03 Rp 54.7K

-1.65%

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

$186 Rp 3.4M

$93.3 Rp 1.7M

99.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,266 Rp 167.3M

$7,527 Rp 135.9M

23.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$42.30 Rp 763.7K

48.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.49 Rp 694.9K

$31.18 Rp 563.0K

23.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 Rp 1.4M

$65.9 Rp 1.2M

16.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

$72.6 Rp 1.3M

15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 Rp 4.5M

$260 Rp 4.7M

-4.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 Rp 2.5M

$156 Rp 2.8M

-11.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 Rp 14.0M

$580 Rp 10.5M

33.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 Rp 7.1M

$339 Rp 6.1M

15.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,136 Rp 38.6M

$1,298 Rp 23.4M

64.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 Rp 19.2M

$795 Rp 14.4M

33.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.9M

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 27, 2026

Last update for Jayapura: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $249 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 $205 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,053 in Surabaya and $1,014 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: $249 in Surabaya versus $260 in Jayapura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $186 in Surabaya versus $93.3 in Jayapura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% 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 4% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.