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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $685 per month in Surabaya vs $448 in Karawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,197 per month in Surabaya vs $815 in Karawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,710 per month in Surabaya vs $1,182 in Karawang, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 53% more than Karawang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surabaya and Karawang are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 50% lower, Karawang 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.42 Rp 25.3K

9.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.28 Rp 200.6K

$11.29 Rp 200.6K

-0.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.98 Rp 53.0K

$3.45 Rp 61.4K

-13.62%

Cappuccino

$1.62 Rp 28.9K

$1.51 Rp 26.9K

7.28%

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

$0.56 Rp 9,900

$0.40 Rp 7,183

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,573

$0.20 Rp 3,550

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 Rp 40.9K

$3.01 Rp 53.5K

-23.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 Rp 73.3K

$3.05 Rp 54.2K

35.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 Rp 23.7K

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.7K

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

-3.49%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.9K

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

-13.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.67 Rp 136.4K

$2.74 Rp 48.7K

179.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 Rp 54.5K

$2.82 Rp 50.1K

8.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 Rp 133.8K

$7.76 Rp 137.9K

-2.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 Rp 37.2K

$1.81 Rp 32.2K

15.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

21.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.0K

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

54.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

$0.51 Rp 9,104

196.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

46.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.54 Rp 27.3K

29.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 Rp 16.4K

$0.65 Rp 11.6K

41.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,619

$0.43 Rp 7,709

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 Rp 34.2K

$2.67 Rp 47.5K

-27.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.10 Rp 446.2K

$22.86 Rp 406.3K

9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$1.82 Rp 32.4K

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

$3.17 Rp 56.4K

-9.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,640

$0.59 Rp 10.5K

-45.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,015

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

-41.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,277

$0.55 Rp 9,819

-14.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 Rp 46.2K

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

126.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

$0.79 Rp 14.1K

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

$24.7K Rp 439.7M

$21.4K Rp 381.2M

15.36%

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

$32.2K Rp 571.9M

$29.4K Rp 522.4M

9.47%

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

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$33.67 Rp 598.5K

163.35%

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

$4.78 Rp 85.0K

$4.27 Rp 76.0K

11.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.29 Rp 342.9K

$12.52 Rp 222.5K

54.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.24 Rp 324.3K

$20.05 Rp 356.4K

-9.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.71 Rp 119.2K

$8.54 Rp 151.8K

-21.43%

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 Rp 45.9K

$2.83 Rp 50.3K

-8.83%

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

$279 Rp 5.0M

$43.30 Rp 769.6K

544.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,074 Rp 143.5M

$8,440 Rp 150.0M

-4.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 Rp 1.3M

$16.60 Rp 295.0K

326.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.64 Rp 704.6K

$28.01 Rp 497.8K

41.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

$49.61 Rp 881.7K

66.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.2 Rp 1.3M

$48.89 Rp 869.0K

51.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 Rp 5.0M

$139 Rp 2.5M

102.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 Rp 2.6M

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

109.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 Rp 22.1M

$551 Rp 9.8M

125.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 Rp 10.7M

$366 Rp 6.5M

64.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 Rp 39.1M

$1,171 Rp 20.8M

88.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,089 Rp 19.3M

$696 Rp 12.4M

56.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 Rp 4.8M

$404 Rp 7.2M

-33.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

11.38

-34.09%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Surabaya: August 18, 2026

Last update for Karawang: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Surabaya versus $139 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 50% 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 $11.00 in Surabaya versus $11.00 in Karawang. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Surabaya vs $174 in Karawang – so Karawang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 53% 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 $1,028 per month in Surabaya and $672 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $685 in Surabaya and $448 in Karawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $279 per month in Surabaya and $43.30 in Karawang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $685 in Surabaya and $448 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.