Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Karawang Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Karawang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $693 per month in Surabaya vs $511 in Karawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,106 per month in Surabaya vs $774 in Karawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,520 per month in Surabaya vs $1,037 in Karawang, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 36% more than Karawang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surabaya and Karawang are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 48% lower, Karawang 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 27.4K

$1.33 Rp 23.0K

18.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.16 Rp 210.8K

$9.19 Rp 159.3K

32.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.98 Rp 51.7K

$3.30 Rp 57.1K

-9.70%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$1.45 Rp 25.1K

20.00%

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

$0.65 Rp 11.4K

$0.47 Rp 8,201

38.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,460

$0.24 Rp 4,173

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 41.8K

$3.34 Rp 57.9K

-27.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 Rp 70.3K

$3.45 Rp 59.7K

17.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 25.0K

$1.22 Rp 21.2K

18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Rp 25.2K

$1.06 Rp 18.4K

37.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 17.4K

$0.87 Rp 15.1K

16.09%

Eggs

$1.46 Rp 25.3K

$1.57 Rp 27.3K

-7.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 162.7K

$3.02 Rp 52.4K

210.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 Rp 57.4K

$3.08 Rp 53.4K

7.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 142.9K

$7.65 Rp 132.5K

7.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 39.9K

$2.05 Rp 35.5K

12.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

26.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 36.9K

$1.41 Rp 24.4K

51.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

$0.58 Rp 9,999

156.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.0K

$0.99 Rp 17.2K

34.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.3K

$1.75 Rp 30.3K

3.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 Rp 20.9K

$0.89 Rp 15.5K

34.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,874

$0.45 Rp 7,810

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 Rp 44.3K

$2.53 Rp 43.9K

0.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.75 Rp 446.3K

$23.18 Rp 401.8K

11.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.0K

$2.04 Rp 35.4K

-9.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 Rp 54.4K

$3.54 Rp 61.3K

-11.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,241

$0.65 Rp 11.2K

-26.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.24 Rp 160.1K

$9.88 Rp 171.3K

-6.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,715

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,453

$0.77 Rp 13.4K

-59.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 Rp 47.2K

$1.27 Rp 22.0K

114.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.7K

$0.79 Rp 13.6K

7.59%

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

$21.0K Rp 364.5M

$24.2K Rp 418.9M

-13.01%

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

$35.7K Rp 619.1M

$26.3K Rp 455.0M

36.06%

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

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

$44.20 Rp 766.0K

89.59%

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

$4.29 Rp 74.3K

$4.63 Rp 80.3K

-7.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.62 Rp 340.1K

$13.79 Rp 239.0K

42.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.80 Rp 377.9K

$22.20 Rp 384.7K

-1.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 Rp 76.5K

$15.09 Rp 261.6K

-70.71%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 51.7K

$3.14 Rp 54.5K

-5.10%

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

$186 Rp 3.2M

$47.65 Rp 825.9K

290.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,464 Rp 164.0M

$7,597 Rp 131.7M

24.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 Rp 1.1M

$18.16 Rp 314.8K

245.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 Rp 679.1K

$31.10 Rp 539.1K

25.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$54.8 Rp 950.1K

42.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 Rp 1.4M

$54.0 Rp 935.8K

52.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.2M

$156 Rp 2.7M

55.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.3M

$76.4 Rp 1.3M

76.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 Rp 13.7M

$249 Rp 4.3M

216.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 Rp 6.8M

$123 Rp 2.1M

220.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,262 Rp 39.2M

$1,198 Rp 20.8M

88.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 Rp 19.4M

$722 Rp 12.5M

55.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 Rp 5.2M

$426 Rp 7.4M

-29.01%

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 Karawang: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Surabaya versus $156 in Karawang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 41% higher in Karawang, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya versus $9.00 in Karawang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $185 – making Karawang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Karawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surabaya costs about 36% more than Karawang, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,039 per month in Surabaya and $766 in Karawang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karawang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya and $9.00 in Karawang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $693 in Surabaya and $511 in Karawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $693 in Surabaya and $511 in Karawang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Karawang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Karawang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surabaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.