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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $700 per month in Surabaya vs $582 in Manado, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,117 per month in Surabaya vs $892 in Manado, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,535 per month in Surabaya vs $1,202 in Manado, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 20% more than Manado, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surabaya and Manado are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 48% lower, Manado 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

26.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.46 Rp 223.3K

$9.45 Rp 169.2K

31.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

0.64%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.62 Rp 29.1K

7.41%

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

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

$0.30 Rp 5,314

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,017

$0.26 Rp 4,685

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 Rp 44.7K

$3.79 Rp 67.9K

-34.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 Rp 70.2K

$5.67 Rp 101.6K

-30.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

21.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

68.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

24.00%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

-20.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 Rp 166.7K

$8.16 Rp 146.3K

14.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

$3.23 Rp 57.9K

-1.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.19 Rp 146.8K

$8.00 Rp 143.3K

2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

$2.84 Rp 50.9K

-15.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Rp 38.8K

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

20.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

$1.29 Rp 23.0K

10.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 Rp 31.9K

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

-5.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

19.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,099

$0.48 Rp 8,603

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 Rp 43.7K

$2.44 Rp 43.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$24.54 Rp 439.7K

$20.81 Rp 372.8K

17.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 Rp 58.6K

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

1.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 Rp 8,495

$0.35 Rp 6,341

34.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.14 Rp 163.8K

$10.11 Rp 181.1K

-9.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,431

$0.54 Rp 9,601

-12.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,569

$0.37 Rp 6,652

-16.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.93 Rp 52.5K

-6.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

12.99%

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

$20.8K Rp 373.4M

$24.5K Rp 438.1M

-14.77%

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

$34.9K Rp 624.7M

$27.2K Rp 487.3M

28.20%

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

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

$25.00 Rp 447.8K

235.64%

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

$4.10 Rp 73.5K

$4.27 Rp 76.4K

-3.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.83 Rp 355.3K

$22.32 Rp 400.0K

-11.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.93 Rp 393.0K

$18.56 Rp 332.6K

18.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.44 Rp 79.5K

$6.13 Rp 109.8K

-27.57%

Cinema Ticket

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

$2.54 Rp 45.5K

16.54%

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

$192 Rp 3.4M

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

101.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,350 Rp 167.5M

$5,063 Rp 90.7M

84.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 Rp 706.8K

$24.48 Rp 438.6K

61.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

-15.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

10.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.4M

$322 Rp 5.8M

-24.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$102 Rp 1.8M

32.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 Rp 13.7M

$325 Rp 5.8M

134.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 Rp 7.0M

$186 Rp 3.3M

109.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,223 Rp 39.8M

$1,176 Rp 21.1M

88.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,057 Rp 18.9M

$675 Rp 12.1M

56.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$209 Rp 3.7M

28.95%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Manado: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Surabaya versus $322 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 29% 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: $227 vs $207 – 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 20%, 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 $1,050 per month in Surabaya and $873 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 11% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $192 per month in Surabaya and $95.2 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 $700 in Surabaya and $582 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.