Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Manado Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Manado

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $702 per month in Surabaya vs $580 in Manado, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,129 per month in Surabaya vs $887 in Manado, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,557 per month in Surabaya vs $1,194 in Manado, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 21% more than Manado, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surabaya and Manado are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 47% lower, Manado 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 28.3K

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

31.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.42 Rp 224.6K

$9.03 Rp 163.3K

37.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.03 Rp 54.7K

$3.08 Rp 55.8K

-1.62%

Cappuccino

$1.76 Rp 31.7K

$1.68 Rp 30.4K

4.76%

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

$0.66 Rp 11.9K

$0.32 Rp 5,829

106.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,104

$0.26 Rp 4,707

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 Rp 44.1K

$3.59 Rp 64.9K

-32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$6.00 Rp 108.4K

-31.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$0.89 Rp 16.2K

70.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

$0.78 Rp 14.2K

25.64%

Eggs

$1.51 Rp 27.3K

$1.79 Rp 32.4K

-15.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 Rp 167.7K

$8.16 Rp 147.5K

13.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 Rp 58.5K

$3.15 Rp 56.9K

2.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 Rp 147.0K

$7.90 Rp 142.8K

2.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

$2.74 Rp 49.6K

-13.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.2K

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 39.5K

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

15.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

5.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

-8.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

18.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,242

$0.44 Rp 8,000

4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.6K

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

5.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.18 Rp 455.2K

$20.43 Rp 369.3K

23.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$1.77 Rp 32.0K

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Rp 59.6K

$3.18 Rp 57.5K

3.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 Rp 8,044

$0.35 Rp 6,412

25.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.26 Rp 167.5K

$9.73 Rp 175.9K

-4.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,128

$0.53 Rp 9,514

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,643

$0.37 Rp 6,717

-16.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 Rp 49.6K

$2.90 Rp 52.5K

-5.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

4.82%

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

$20.8K Rp 375.4M

$24.5K Rp 443.1M

-15.28%

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

$34.9K Rp 630.2M

$28.0K Rp 506.1M

24.51%

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$24.74 Rp 447.4K

235.41%

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

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

-4.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 Rp 351.5K

$22.31 Rp 403.4K

-12.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.63 Rp 391.0K

$18.33 Rp 331.5K

18.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.38 Rp 79.2K

$6.11 Rp 110.4K

-28.31%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 54.0K

$2.62 Rp 47.4K

13.74%

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

$186 Rp 3.4M

$94.9 Rp 1.7M

96.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,266 Rp 167.5M

$5,231 Rp 94.6M

77.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$61.2 Rp 1.1M

2.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.49 Rp 696.0K

$24.26 Rp 438.7K

58.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 Rp 1.4M

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

-19.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

14.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 Rp 4.5M

$324 Rp 5.9M

-23.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 Rp 2.5M

$99.8 Rp 1.8M

38.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 Rp 14.0M

$333 Rp 6.0M

132.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 Rp 7.1M

$191 Rp 3.4M

105.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,136 Rp 38.6M

$1,132 Rp 20.5M

88.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 Rp 19.2M

$698 Rp 12.6M

52.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.9M

$210 Rp 3.8M

28.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

-16.70%

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

Last update for Surabaya: July 27, 2026

Last update for Manado: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $249 in Surabaya versus $324 in Manado. 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 28% 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 $9.00 in Manado. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $205 – making Manado 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 Manado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 21%, 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 $871 in Manado. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 5% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $186 per month in Surabaya and $94.9 in Manado. 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 $580 in Manado, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Manado – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Manado. 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.