Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Makassar Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Makassar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $676 in Surabaya versus $644 in Makassar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,202 in Surabaya versus $980 in Makassar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,728 in Surabaya versus $1,317 in Makassar.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 5% more expensive than in Makassar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 51% lower, Makassar 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$1.65 Rp 29.3K

4.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

$9.03 Rp 159.8K

27.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

$3.21 Rp 56.9K

1.25%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$1.99 Rp 35.3K

-20.60%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.50 Rp 8,874

24.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,554

$0.34 Rp 6,003

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$2.59 Rp 45.8K

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

$3.27 Rp 58.0K

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.62 Rp 28.6K

-21.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.00 Rp 17.7K

30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.61 Rp 10.8K

47.54%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

-18.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$6.60 Rp 116.8K

15.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$3.51 Rp 62.1K

-11.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

$5.28 Rp 93.6K

43.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

-11.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.39 Rp 24.7K

-7.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

-1.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$1.79 Rp 31.6K

-12.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

17.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$1.60 Rp 28.3K

26.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

23.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,186

$0.40 Rp 7,020

2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$2.69 Rp 47.6K

-28.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

$22.97 Rp 406.7K

9.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

-3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

26.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$0.27 Rp 4,734

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.35 Rp 77.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,236

$0.51 Rp 9,032

1.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,630

$0.36 Rp 6,314

19.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

-4.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

-2.53%

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

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

$15.7K Rp 277.8M

58.12%

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

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

$16.9K Rp 299.4M

92.15%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$90.0 Rp 1.6M

-3.73%

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

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

$2.61 Rp 46.2K

79.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

$25.25 Rp 447.2K

-22.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

$21.32 Rp 377.5K

-12.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

$23.06 Rp 408.3K

-69.82%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$3.50 Rp 62.0K

-22.86%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$94.9 Rp 1.7M

198.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

$3,893 Rp 68.9M

153.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$27.74 Rp 491.2K

159.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

$24.02 Rp 425.4K

67.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

10.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$40.90 Rp 724.2K

85.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$195 Rp 3.4M

44.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$152 Rp 2.7M

-1.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

$403 Rp 7.1M

211.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$313 Rp 5.5M

97.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

$1,438 Rp 25.5M

54.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

$572 Rp 10.1M

87.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$218 Rp 3.9M

26.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

25.00%

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

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Makassar: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Surabaya and $195 in Makassar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 27% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surabaya vs $9.00 in Makassar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $199 per month, with Makassar 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 Makassar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makassar wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Surabaya. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makassar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Surabaya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $282 in Surabaya versus $195 in Makassar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $283 in Surabaya versus $94.9 in Makassar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Makassar – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $12.00 in Surabaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Makassar 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.

Expats usually find Makassar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.