Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Jayapura

For one person, living is cheaper in Jayapura: $635 a month against $682 in Surabaya, rent and utilities included – about $560 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Surabaya, Indonesia
Jayapura, Indonesia
Surabaya
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$682
/mo nomad
Jayapura
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$635
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Surabaya and in Jayapura

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Surabaya and in Jayapura actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $682 in Surabaya versus $635 in Jayapura.

  • Surabaya $682
  • Jayapura $635

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,188 in Surabaya versus $1,001 in Jayapura.

  • Surabaya $1,188
  • Jayapura $1,001

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,694 in Surabaya versus $1,367 in Jayapura.

  • Surabaya $1,694
  • Jayapura $1,367

Living in Surabaya is roughly 7% more expensive than in Jayapura, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 50% lower, Jayapura 53% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surabaya
Jayapura
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.62 Rp 29.4K
$1.63 Rp 29.7K
-0.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.34 Rp 206.0K
$9.54 Rp 173.3K
18.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.74 Rp 49.7K
$2.99 Rp 54.3K
-8.36%
Cappuccino
$1.51 Rp 27.4K
$2.04 Rp 37.0K
-25.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 Rp 12.0K
$0.64 Rp 11.6K
3.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 Rp 5,147
$0.22 Rp 3,995
27.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 Rp 39.8K
$3.37 Rp 61.2K
-35.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.07 Rp 74.0K
$2.67 Rp 48.5K
52.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surabaya
Jayapura
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 Rp 21.9K
$1.11 Rp 20.2K
8.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 Rp 23.6K
$1.09 Rp 19.8K
19.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.87 Rp 15.7K
$0.87 Rp 15.8K
-
Eggs
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
$1.46 Rp 26.6K
-18.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.45 Rp 135.4K
$7.30 Rp 132.5K
2.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.91 Rp 52.8K
$2.94 Rp 53.4K
-1.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.47 Rp 135.6K
$7.66 Rp 139.2K
-2.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.00 Rp 36.3K
$2.13 Rp 38.8K
-6.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.28 Rp 23.3K
$1.28 Rp 23.3K
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 Rp 33.0K
$1.55 Rp 28.1K
17.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 Rp 28.1K
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
30.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 Rp 23.5K
$1.20 Rp 21.8K
7.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 Rp 35.6K
$1.89 Rp 34.3K
3.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.95 Rp 17.2K
$0.86 Rp 15.7K
10.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 Rp 7,737
$0.42 Rp 7,667
2.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.89 Rp 34.3K
$2.57 Rp 46.8K
-26.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.59 Rp 446.5K
$21.13 Rp 383.8K
16.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 Rp 30.5K
$1.89 Rp 34.4K
-11.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 Rp 51.1K
$2.93 Rp 53.2K
-3.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Surabaya
Jayapura
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,331
$0.25 Rp 4,559
16.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.73 Rp 303.8K
$11.51 Rp 209.0K
45.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.50 Rp 9,052
$0.53 Rp 9,712
-5.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,622
$0.35 Rp 6,289
20.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.58 Rp 46.8K
$2.78 Rp 50.4K
-7.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.87 Rp 15.8K
$0.85 Rp 15.5K
2.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0K Rp 453.9M
$22.6K Rp 410.6M
10.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 582.8M
$31.6K Rp 573.7M
1.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surabaya
Jayapura
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$86.4 Rp 1.6M
$63.9 Rp 1.2M
35.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.56 Rp 82.7K
$4.26 Rp 77.3K
7.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.27 Rp 350.0K
$18.74 Rp 340.3K
2.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surabaya
Jayapura
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.43 Rp 280.3K
$17.95 Rp 326.0K
-14.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.74 Rp 122.4K
$8.18 Rp 148.6K
-17.60%
Cinema Ticket
$2.61 Rp 47.4K
$2.72 Rp 49.5K
-4.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surabaya
Jayapura
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$280 Rp 5.1M
$92.8 Rp 1.7M
201.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,211 Rp 76.5M
$8,053 Rp 146.2M
-47.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surabaya
Jayapura
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.0 Rp 1.3M
$43.88 Rp 796.8K
57.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.98 Rp 689.7K
$27.95 Rp 507.5K
35.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.3 Rp 1.5M
$75.5 Rp 1.4M
7.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.3 Rp 1.3M
$71.0 Rp 1.3M
1.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surabaya
Jayapura
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$273 Rp 5.0M
$224 Rp 4.1M
22.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$146 Rp 2.6M
$144 Rp 2.6M
0.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,230 Rp 22.3M
$557 Rp 10.1M
120.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$611 Rp 11.1M
$365 Rp 6.6M
67.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,179 Rp 39.6M
$1,139 Rp 20.7M
91.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,072 Rp 19.5M
$795 Rp 14.4M
34.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surabaya
Jayapura
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$253 Rp 4.6M
-
-
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: November 3, 2026

Last update for Jayapura: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Surabaya
$205
Jayapura
$195 5% $10
Accommodation & Living
Surabaya
$146
Jayapura
$144 0.9% $1.4
Clothing & Footwear
Surabaya
$117
Jayapura
$98 16.2% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surabaya
$110
Jayapura
$87 21.1% $23
Eating Out
Surabaya
$62
Jayapura
$72 16% $9.9
Sport & Entertainment
Surabaya
$21
Jayapura
$23 13.3% $2.7
Getting Around
Surabaya
$21
Jayapura
$15 27.9% $5.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $273 in Surabaya and $224 in Jayapura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11 in Surabaya vs $10 in Jayapura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $195 per month, with Jayapura cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Surabaya
🇮🇩 Jayapura
🕒 Local time
18:09 6:09 PM
20:09 8:09 PM
2 h ahead of Surabaya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,765,487
233,859
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,161 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,333 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Surabaya Jayapura 3,140 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Surabaya
  • Jayapura

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Jayapura cheaper than Surabaya?
Jayapura is about 7% cheaper overall, especially in clothing, groceries, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,022 in Surabaya and $952 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.
What is the rent difference between Surabaya and Jayapura?
Rent for a central apartment: $273 in Surabaya versus $224 in Jayapura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $280 in Surabaya versus $93 in Jayapura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Surabaya and in Jayapura?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Surabaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 enough for either Surabaya or Jayapura?
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.
Is it better to live in Surabaya or in Jayapura?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Jayapura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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