Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Palembang Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Palembang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $676 in Surabaya versus $625 in Palembang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,202 in Surabaya versus $1,007 in Palembang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,728 in Surabaya versus $1,389 in Palembang.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 8% more expensive than in Palembang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 51% lower, Palembang 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$1.16 Rp 20.5K

49.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

$16.43 Rp 290.9K

-29.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

$2.75 Rp 48.6K

18.18%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

22.48%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.84 Rp 14.9K

-26.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,554

$0.25 Rp 4,340

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

28.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

$3.35 Rp 59.4K

30.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

7.14%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

-4.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$7.39 Rp 130.8K

3.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

5.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

$7.61 Rp 134.7K

-0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$2.19 Rp 38.8K

-3.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.97 Rp 34.9K

-2.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$1.39 Rp 24.6K

12.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

-4.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$2.21 Rp 39.1K

-8.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,186

$0.41 Rp 7,239

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$2.22 Rp 39.4K

-13.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

$20.38 Rp 360.9K

23.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

-3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$3.02 Rp 53.5K

-3.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$0.45 Rp 7,968

-26.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,236

$0.53 Rp 9,459

-1.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,630

$0.31 Rp 5,494

38.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

$2.72 Rp 48.2K

1.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

1.32%

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

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

$22.8K Rp 403.9M

8.73%

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

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

$30.4K Rp 538.9M

6.76%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

27.54%

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

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

$4.52 Rp 80.1K

3.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

$19.12 Rp 338.6K

1.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

$19.87 Rp 351.9K

-5.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

$7.34 Rp 129.9K

-5.18%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

-2.17%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$97.1 Rp 1.7M

191.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

$6,938 Rp 122.8M

42.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$43.91 Rp 777.4K

63.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

$29.03 Rp 514.0K

38.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$73.1 Rp 1.3M

13.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$234 Rp 4.2M

20.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$156 Rp 2.8M

-3.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

$539 Rp 9.5M

133.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$422 Rp 7.5M

46.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

$1,249 Rp 22.1M

77.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

$739 Rp 13.1M

45.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$312 Rp 5.5M

-11.24%

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 Palembang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Surabaya and $234 in Palembang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palembang pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surabaya vs $16.00 in Palembang. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $196, with Palembang cheaper for home cooking.

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 Palembang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palembang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Palembang. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $282 in Surabaya versus $234 in Palembang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $283 in Surabaya versus $97.1 in Palembang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Palembang – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $12.00 in Surabaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Palembang 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 Palembang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.