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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $676 per month in Surabaya vs $559 in Manado, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Surabaya vs $891 in Manado, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,728 per month in Surabaya vs $1,222 in Manado, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 21% more than Manado, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surabaya and Manado are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 51% lower, Manado 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

25.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 203.5K

$17.27 Rp 305.4K

-33.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.4K

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

18.18%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

-14.13%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.58 Rp 10.2K

6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,548

$0.24 Rp 4,208

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$3.48 Rp 61.5K

-36.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.1K

$2.75 Rp 48.6K

58.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.42 Rp 25.1K

-10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

16.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

21.62%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.7K

$1.97 Rp 34.8K

-37.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.7K

$17.35 Rp 306.7K

-56.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.7K

$2.88 Rp 50.9K

7.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.4K

$6.35 Rp 112.3K

19.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.4K

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

-8.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.6K

$1.54 Rp 27.2K

-16.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

42.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

61.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

67.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$2.82 Rp 49.9K

-28.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.75 Rp 13.2K

32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,176

$0.44 Rp 7,706

-6.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$2.40 Rp 42.4K

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.2K

$20.77 Rp 367.3K

21.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.3K

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

-3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.6K

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

-1.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,816

$0.30 Rp 5,242

10.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,222

$0.53 Rp 9,348

-1.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,619

$0.33 Rp 5,762

30.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

$2.91 Rp 51.5K

-5.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.5K

$0.61 Rp 10.8K

26.23%

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

$24.8K Rp 438.6M

$24.2K Rp 428.7M

2.31%

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

$32.5K Rp 574.5M

$31.3K Rp 553.4M

3.82%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$54.2 Rp 958.4K

59.85%

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

$4.68 Rp 82.8K

$4.37 Rp 77.3K

7.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 344.2K

$13.92 Rp 246.1K

39.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 331.0K

$13.01 Rp 230.1K

43.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.0K

$8.34 Rp 147.4K

-16.55%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

7.57%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$127 Rp 2.3M

121.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 174.4M

$4,723 Rp 83.5M

108.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$56.8 Rp 1.0M

26.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 711.4K

$20.47 Rp 362.0K

96.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$71.3 Rp 1.3M

16.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$64.8 Rp 1.1M

17.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$255 Rp 4.5M

10.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$83.5 Rp 1.5M

80.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

$308 Rp 5.5M

307.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 10.9M

$176 Rp 3.1M

251.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.2M

$1,197 Rp 21.2M

85.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

$665 Rp 11.8M

61.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$213 Rp 3.8M

29.96%

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 Manado: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Surabaya versus $255 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 30% 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 $17.00 in Manado. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $226 – making Surabaya 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 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 $839 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya and $17.00 in Manado. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Surabaya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $676 in Surabaya and $559 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.