Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Malang Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Malang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $702 per month in Surabaya vs $464 in Malang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,129 per month in Surabaya vs $746 in Malang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,557 per month in Surabaya vs $1,028 in Malang, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 51% more than Malang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surabaya and Malang are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 47% lower, Malang 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

31.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.42 Rp 224.2K

$12.32 Rp 222.4K

0.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

$3.11 Rp 56.2K

-2.57%

Cappuccino

$1.76 Rp 31.7K

$1.40 Rp 25.2K

25.71%

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

$0.66 Rp 11.9K

$0.62 Rp 11.3K

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,096

$0.22 Rp 3,956

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 Rp 44.1K

$2.41 Rp 43.5K

1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 Rp 73.8K

$3.11 Rp 56.1K

31.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 25.9K

$1.13 Rp 20.5K

27.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

16.67%

Eggs

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

$1.47 Rp 26.5K

2.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 Rp 167.5K

$6.39 Rp 115.3K

45.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 Rp 58.5K

$3.25 Rp 58.6K

-0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 Rp 146.7K

$7.19 Rp 129.9K

13.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

$2.30 Rp 41.6K

3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

$1.49 Rp 26.8K

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 39.4K

$1.77 Rp 31.9K

23.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

$1.45 Rp 26.1K

-2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

$1.33 Rp 24.1K

-0.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

-3.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.55 Rp 9,968

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,229

$0.44 Rp 7,987

4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.6K

$2.56 Rp 46.1K

-1.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.18 Rp 454.5K

$12.53 Rp 226.2K

100.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

-1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Rp 59.5K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 Rp 8,032

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

-30.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.26 Rp 167.2K

$5.97 Rp 107.9K

55.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,115

$0.45 Rp 8,070

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,634

$0.29 Rp 5,203

6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 Rp 49.5K

$6.07 Rp 109.5K

-54.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

11.54%

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

$20.8K Rp 374.8M

$21.2K Rp 383.2M

-2.21%

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

$34.9K Rp 629.2M

$27.3K Rp 492.9M

27.64%

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$33.52 Rp 605.1K

147.55%

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

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$2.55 Rp 46.1K

64.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 Rp 350.9K

$19.55 Rp 352.9K

-0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.63 Rp 390.4K

$14.71 Rp 265.6K

47.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

$4.95 Rp 89.3K

-11.52%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 53.9K

$2.18 Rp 39.4K

36.70%

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

$186 Rp 3.4M

$33.90 Rp 612.1K

448.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,266 Rp 167.3M

$9,427 Rp 170.2M

-1.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$42.41 Rp 765.6K

48.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.49 Rp 694.9K

$31.26 Rp 564.3K

23.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 Rp 1.4M

$60.1 Rp 1.1M

28.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

$83.5 Rp 1.5M

0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 Rp 4.5M

$160 Rp 2.9M

55.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 Rp 2.5M

$49.08 Rp 886.0K

180.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 Rp 14.0M

$275 Rp 5.0M

182.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 Rp 7.1M

$93.2 Rp 1.7M

320.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,136 Rp 38.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 Rp 19.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.9M

$196 Rp 3.5M

37.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

108.25%

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

Last update for Surabaya: July 27, 2026

Last update for Malang: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $249 in Surabaya versus $160 in Malang. 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 37% 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 $12.00 in Malang. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Surabaya vs $183 in Malang – so Malang 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 Malang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,053 per month in Surabaya and $696 in Malang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 55% less in Malang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $186 per month in Surabaya and $33.90 in Malang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $702 in Surabaya and $464 in Malang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Malang – 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 Malang. 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.