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: $693 in Surabaya versus $577 in Mataram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,106 in Surabaya versus $888 in Mataram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,520 in Surabaya versus $1,200 in Mataram.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 20% more expensive than Mataram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 48% lower, Mataram 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 27.4K

$1.05 Rp 18.3K

50.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.16 Rp 210.8K

$11.02 Rp 190.9K

10.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.98 Rp 51.7K

$2.25 Rp 39.0K

32.44%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$1.87 Rp 32.4K

-6.95%

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

$0.65 Rp 11.4K

$0.55 Rp 9,529

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,460

$0.36 Rp 6,243

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 41.8K

$2.63 Rp 45.6K

-8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 Rp 70.3K

$3.78 Rp 65.6K

7.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 25.0K

$1.56 Rp 27.0K

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Rp 25.2K

$1.68 Rp 29.1K

-13.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 17.4K

$0.83 Rp 14.4K

21.69%

Eggs

$1.46 Rp 25.3K

$1.36 Rp 23.6K

7.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 162.7K

$3.32 Rp 57.5K

182.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 Rp 57.4K

$3.53 Rp 61.2K

-6.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 142.9K

$6.29 Rp 109.1K

31.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 39.9K

$1.70 Rp 29.5K

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

$1.21 Rp 21.0K

24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 36.9K

$1.86 Rp 32.3K

14.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

$0.79 Rp 13.7K

88.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.0K

$0.79 Rp 13.7K

68.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.3K

$1.89 Rp 32.8K

-4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 Rp 20.9K

$0.47 Rp 8,180

155.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,874

$0.31 Rp 5,443

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 Rp 44.3K

$1.79 Rp 31.1K

42.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.75 Rp 446.3K

$16.27 Rp 282.1K

58.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.0K

$2.46 Rp 42.6K

-24.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 Rp 54.4K

$3.80 Rp 65.9K

-17.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,241

$0.63 Rp 10.9K

-23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.24 Rp 160.1K

$18.37 Rp 318.5K

-49.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,715

$0.48 Rp 8,285

-6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,453

$0.29 Rp 5,024

6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 Rp 47.2K

$3.16 Rp 54.7K

-13.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.7K

$0.65 Rp 11.2K

30.77%

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

$21.0K Rp 364.5M

$23.4K Rp 405.9M

-10.20%

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

$35.7K Rp 619.1M

$28.0K Rp 485.3M

27.57%

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

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

$50.2 Rp 870.0K

66.93%

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

$4.29 Rp 74.3K

$4.39 Rp 76.2K

-2.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.62 Rp 340.1K

$19.07 Rp 330.6K

2.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.80 Rp 377.9K

$26.67 Rp 462.3K

-18.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 Rp 76.5K

$7.66 Rp 132.7K

-42.30%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 51.7K

$2.10 Rp 36.3K

41.90%

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

$186 Rp 3.2M

$90.8 Rp 1.6M

105.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,464 Rp 164.0M

$4,319 Rp 74.9M

119.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 Rp 1.1M

$36.80 Rp 637.8K

70.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 Rp 679.1K

$24.84 Rp 430.6K

57.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$61.1 Rp 1.1M

27.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 Rp 1.4M

$40.16 Rp 696.1K

105.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.2M

$76.9 Rp 1.3M

216.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.3M

$128 Rp 2.2M

5.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 Rp 13.7M

$156 Rp 2.7M

404.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 Rp 6.8M

$265 Rp 4.6M

48.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,262 Rp 39.2M

$1,199 Rp 20.8M

88.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 Rp 19.4M

$783 Rp 13.6M

43.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 Rp 5.2M

$202 Rp 3.5M

49.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

-7.44%

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

Last update for Surabaya: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mataram: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Surabaya and $76.9 in Mataram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surabaya pays 49% 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 $11.00 in Mataram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $179 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 20% in total monthly costs ($693 vs $577 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Surabaya pays 49% more on average, 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: $244 in Surabaya versus $76.9 in Mataram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Surabaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mataram – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $12.00 in Surabaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 20% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.