Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Pekanbaru Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Pekanbaru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $702 in Surabaya versus $681 in Pekanbaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,117 in Surabaya versus $970 in Pekanbaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,532 in Surabaya versus $1,258 in Pekanbaru.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 3% more expensive than in Pekanbaru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 47% lower, Pekanbaru 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.11 Rp 217.6K

$8.68 Rp 155.9K

39.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.05 Rp 54.9K

$2.49 Rp 44.8K

22.49%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

26.76%

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

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$0.47 Rp 8,384

36.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,048

$0.26 Rp 4,674

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 43.2K

$2.14 Rp 38.5K

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 Rp 73.5K

$3.43 Rp 61.6K

19.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

-7.84%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

-15.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 Rp 166.1K

$16.88 Rp 303.4K

-45.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

22.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 Rp 146.0K

$10.40 Rp 186.9K

-21.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

$2.96 Rp 53.1K

-18.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

-6.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$2.01 Rp 36.2K

9.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

68.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

33.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

7.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

-24.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,091

$0.41 Rp 7,398

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

6.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.13 Rp 451.6K

$19.82 Rp 356.2K

26.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

-32.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.5K

$3.87 Rp 69.6K

-14.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 Rp 7,860

$0.30 Rp 5,311

46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.48 Rp 170.4K

$9.33 Rp 167.7K

1.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,592

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

-46.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,615

$0.40 Rp 7,219

-22.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.18 Rp 39.2K

25.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

11.69%

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

$20.5K Rp 368.6M

$23.2K Rp 416.3M

-11.45%

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

$35.0K Rp 629.7M

$25.5K Rp 457.5M

37.66%

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

18.04%

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

$4.31 Rp 77.5K

$6.58 Rp 118.2K

-34.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.61 Rp 352.5K

$27.97 Rp 502.6K

-29.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.82 Rp 392.2K

$23.15 Rp 416.1K

-5.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.59 Rp 82.6K

$12.41 Rp 223.0K

-63.01%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

-10.59%

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

$186 Rp 3.3M

$174 Rp 3.1M

6.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,556 Rp 171.7M

$3,096 Rp 55.6M

208.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$34.18 Rp 614.2K

84.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 Rp 698.2K

$36.35 Rp 653.2K

6.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

18.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

$75.9 Rp 1.4M

9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.4M

$257 Rp 4.6M

-4.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 Rp 2.4M

$122 Rp 2.2M

11.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 Rp 14.2M

$930 Rp 16.7M

-14.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 Rp 7.2M

$151 Rp 2.7M

164.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 Rp 39.6M

$1,135 Rp 20.4M

94.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

$699 Rp 12.6M

49.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$181 Rp 3.3M

48.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

9.15

-8.96%

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

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Last update for Pekanbaru: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Surabaya and $257 in Pekanbaru. 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 $9.00 in Pekanbaru. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 vs $247, with Surabaya 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 Pekanbaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pekanbaru is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 49% 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: $244 in Surabaya versus $257 in Pekanbaru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pekanbaru – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $12.00 in Surabaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $702 per month in Surabaya versus $681 in Pekanbaru – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.