Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Mataram Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Mataram

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $676 in Surabaya versus $611 in Mataram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,202 in Surabaya versus $985 in Mataram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,728 in Surabaya versus $1,360 in Mataram.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 11% more expensive than in Mataram, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 51% lower, Mataram 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$0.95 Rp 16.9K

82.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

$9.19 Rp 162.8K

25.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

$3.31 Rp 58.6K

-1.81%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.42 Rp 7,461

47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,554

$0.33 Rp 5,866

-21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

-16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

$3.38 Rp 59.8K

28.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.35 Rp 24.0K

-5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

7.14%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

-18.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$7.95 Rp 140.8K

-4.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$3.05 Rp 54.0K

1.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

$8.01 Rp 141.8K

-5.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

1.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

-5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

25.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

19.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,186

$0.42 Rp 7,385

-2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$2.67 Rp 47.2K

-28.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

$20.74 Rp 367.2K

21.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-7.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

8.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$0.32 Rp 5,673

3.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,236

$0.49 Rp 8,601

6.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,630

$0.33 Rp 5,886

30.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

$3.13 Rp 55.3K

-11.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.62 Rp 11.0K

24.19%

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

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

$22.6K Rp 400.1M

9.78%

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

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

$35.7K Rp 632.0M

-8.96%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$75.6 Rp 1.3M

14.60%

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

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

$4.06 Rp 71.9K

15.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

$19.22 Rp 340.4K

1.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

$20.32 Rp 359.8K

-7.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

$7.23 Rp 128.1K

-3.73%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

-6.90%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$106 Rp 1.9M

167.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

$8,960 Rp 158.7M

10.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$46.12 Rp 816.6K

55.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

$29.40 Rp 520.6K

36.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

14.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$73.1 Rp 1.3M

3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$231 Rp 4.1M

22.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$137 Rp 2.4M

9.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

$641 Rp 11.3M

96.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$371 Rp 6.6M

66.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

$1,312 Rp 23.2M

69.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

$668 Rp 11.8M

60.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$227 Rp 4.0M

22.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

9.46

-20.72%

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

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mataram: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Surabaya and $231 in Mataram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surabaya vs $9.00 in Mataram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $205 per month, with Mataram cheaper across the board.

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 Mataram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surabaya and Mataram differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($676 vs $611 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Surabaya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $282 in Surabaya versus $231 in Mataram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Surabaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $676 per month in Surabaya versus $611 in Mataram – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Mataram gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mataram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.