Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Magelang Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Magelang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $676 per month in Surabaya vs $537 in Magelang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Surabaya vs $837 in Magelang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,728 per month in Surabaya vs $1,137 in Magelang, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 26% more than Magelang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surabaya and Magelang are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 51% lower, Magelang 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

25.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

$8.25 Rp 146.1K

39.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

$2.73 Rp 48.3K

19.05%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

105.19%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.35 Rp 6,229

77.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,554

$0.18 Rp 3,214

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

60.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

$2.76 Rp 48.8K

57.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.06 Rp 18.8K

19.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

12.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

11.11%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

1.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$6.73 Rp 119.2K

13.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$2.41 Rp 42.7K

28.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

$7.03 Rp 124.4K

8.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

4.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

12.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

47.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

74.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$1.00 Rp 17.7K

34.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

45.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,186

$0.37 Rp 6,496

10.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

-1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

$17.10 Rp 302.7K

47.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.52 Rp 26.8K

16.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

32.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$0.29 Rp 5,177

13.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.70 Rp 154.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,236

$0.46 Rp 8,164

13.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,630

$0.35 Rp 6,219

22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

20.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.71 Rp 12.5K

8.45%

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

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

$25.7K Rp 455.8M

-3.64%

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

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

$29.6K Rp 524.1M

9.77%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$46.91 Rp 830.6K

84.69%

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

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

$4.00 Rp 70.9K

17.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

$19.93 Rp 352.9K

-2.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

$13.84 Rp 245.1K

35.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

$3.77 Rp 66.8K

84.62%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$2.52 Rp 44.6K

7.14%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$45.71 Rp 809.3K

518.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

$3,913 Rp 69.3M

152.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$20.17 Rp 357.1K

256.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

$20.11 Rp 356.1K

100.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$57.9 Rp 1.0M

43.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$54.6 Rp 966.4K

39.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$232 Rp 4.1M

21.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$158 Rp 2.8M

-4.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

$568 Rp 10.1M

121.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$373 Rp 6.6M

66.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

$1,201 Rp 21.3M

84.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

$664 Rp 11.8M

61.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$178 Rp 3.2M

55.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

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

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Magelang: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Surabaya versus $232 in Magelang. 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 55% higher in Surabaya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya versus $8.00 in Magelang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $170 – making Magelang 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 Magelang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $676 in Surabaya, $537 in Magelang – roughly 26% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Surabaya and $806 in Magelang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Magelang, 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 $676 in Surabaya and $537 in Magelang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $283 per month in Surabaya and $45.71 in Magelang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $676 in Surabaya and $537 in Magelang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Magelang – 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 Magelang. 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.