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: $693 in Surabaya versus $696 in Jayapura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,106 in Surabaya versus $1,061 in Jayapura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,520 in Surabaya versus $1,426 in Jayapura.

Monthly costs are close between Surabaya and Jayapura; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 27.4K

$1.85 Rp 32.1K

-14.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.16 Rp 210.8K

$10.57 Rp 183.2K

15.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.98 Rp 51.7K

$3.16 Rp 54.7K

-5.70%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$1.80 Rp 31.3K

-3.33%

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

$0.65 Rp 11.4K

$0.68 Rp 11.8K

-4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,460

$0.60 Rp 10.3K

-56.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 41.8K

$3.92 Rp 68.0K

-38.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 Rp 70.3K

$4.42 Rp 76.5K

-8.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 25.0K

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Rp 25.2K

$1.12 Rp 19.5K

30.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 17.4K

$0.88 Rp 15.2K

14.77%

Eggs

$1.46 Rp 25.3K

$1.54 Rp 26.7K

-5.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 162.7K

$8.08 Rp 140.0K

16.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 Rp 57.4K

$3.14 Rp 54.5K

5.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 142.9K

$8.02 Rp 139.1K

2.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 39.9K

$2.29 Rp 39.7K

0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

$1.49 Rp 25.8K

1.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 36.9K

$1.89 Rp 32.7K

12.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

$1.52 Rp 26.3K

-1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.0K

$1.36 Rp 23.6K

-2.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.3K

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

-5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 Rp 20.9K

$0.96 Rp 16.6K

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,874

$0.45 Rp 7,776

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 Rp 44.3K

$2.51 Rp 43.6K

1.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.75 Rp 446.3K

$22.02 Rp 381.7K

16.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.0K

$2.03 Rp 35.2K

-8.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 Rp 54.4K

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

0.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,241

$0.32 Rp 5,579

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.24 Rp 160.1K

$9.77 Rp 169.3K

-5.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,715

$0.53 Rp 9,168

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,453

$0.37 Rp 6,449

-16.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 Rp 47.2K

$2.86 Rp 49.6K

-4.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.7K

$0.78 Rp 13.5K

8.97%

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

$21.0K Rp 364.5M

$24.3K Rp 422.0M

-13.63%

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

$35.7K Rp 619.1M

$28.2K Rp 488.3M

26.79%

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

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

$70.6 Rp 1.2M

18.75%

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

$4.29 Rp 74.3K

$4.34 Rp 75.2K

-1.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.62 Rp 340.1K

$23.20 Rp 402.0K

-15.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.80 Rp 377.9K

$22.71 Rp 393.6K

-4.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 Rp 76.5K

$6.21 Rp 107.7K

-28.82%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 51.7K

$3.02 Rp 52.3K

-1.32%

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

$186 Rp 3.2M

$91.7 Rp 1.6M

103.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,464 Rp 164.0M

$7,714 Rp 133.7M

22.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 Rp 1.1M

$40.88 Rp 708.6K

53.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 Rp 679.1K

$30.70 Rp 532.2K

27.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$67.7 Rp 1.2M

15.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 Rp 1.4M

$73.1 Rp 1.3M

12.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.2M

$254 Rp 4.4M

-4.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.3M

$158 Rp 2.7M

-14.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 Rp 13.7M

$588 Rp 10.2M

34.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 Rp 6.8M

$333 Rp 5.8M

18.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,262 Rp 39.2M

$1,233 Rp 21.4M

83.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 Rp 19.4M

$775 Rp 13.4M

44.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 Rp 5.2M

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Jayapura: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Surabaya and $254 in Jayapura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surabaya vs $11.00 in Jayapura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 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

You'd need roughly $1,039 in Surabaya and $1,044 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: $244 in Surabaya versus $254 in Jayapura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Surabaya runs roughly 6% less than in Jayapura. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Jayapura pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Surabaya 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.

It comes down to priorities – Surabaya wins on affordability, Jayapura on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.