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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $676 per month in Surabaya vs $476 in Malang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Surabaya vs $743 in Malang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,728 per month in Surabaya vs $1,010 in Malang, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 42% more than Malang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surabaya and Malang are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 51% lower, Malang 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

54.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

$11.32 Rp 200.4K

1.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

$2.88 Rp 50.9K

12.85%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

22.48%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.60 Rp 10.6K

3.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,554

$0.22 Rp 3,885

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

-3.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

$4.13 Rp 73.1K

5.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

25.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.10 Rp 19.4K

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

12.50%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-3.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$6.04 Rp 107.0K

26.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$3.11 Rp 55.1K

-0.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

$7.25 Rp 128.5K

4.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$2.04 Rp 36.1K

3.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.29 Rp 22.8K

-0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

23.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

5.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

5.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.51 Rp 8,976

94.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,186

$0.41 Rp 7,221

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

-30.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

$12.54 Rp 222.1K

101.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.76 Rp 31.2K

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$2.96 Rp 52.4K

-1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

-45.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.58 Rp 98.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,236

$0.48 Rp 8,540

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,630

$0.39 Rp 6,837

10.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

$5.69 Rp 100.7K

-51.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.69 Rp 12.1K

11.59%

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

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

$25.8K Rp 456.7M

-3.83%

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

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

$28.1K Rp 497.3M

15.70%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$31.73 Rp 561.8K

173.05%

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

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

$2.46 Rp 43.5K

90.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

$20.00 Rp 354.2K

-2.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

$14.87 Rp 263.3K

25.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

$4.71 Rp 83.4K

47.77%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$1.97 Rp 34.8K

37.06%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$31.19 Rp 552.3K

806.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

$9,663 Rp 171.1M

2.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$56.6 Rp 1.0M

27.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

$23.07 Rp 408.5K

74.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$51.6 Rp 914.4K

60.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$36.37 Rp 644.0K

108.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$140 Rp 2.5M

101.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

63.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

$196 Rp 3.5M

542.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$154 Rp 2.7M

301.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$208 Rp 3.7M

32.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

87.50%

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

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Malang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Surabaya versus $140 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 33% 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 $11.00 in Malang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $171 – making Malang 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 Malang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Surabaya and $713 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya and $11.00 in Malang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Surabaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $676 in Surabaya and $476 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.