Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Pontianak Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Pontianak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $702 in Surabaya versus $662 in Pontianak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,129 in Surabaya versus $1,014 in Pontianak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,557 in Surabaya versus $1,367 in Pontianak.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 6% more expensive than in Pontianak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 47% lower, Pontianak 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

4.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.42 Rp 224.2K

$12.25 Rp 221.2K

1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

$3.26 Rp 58.8K

-7.06%

Cappuccino

$1.76 Rp 31.7K

$1.71 Rp 30.8K

2.92%

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

$0.66 Rp 11.9K

$0.55 Rp 9,891

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,096

$0.26 Rp 4,653

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 Rp 44.1K

$3.11 Rp 56.1K

-21.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 Rp 73.8K

$2.50 Rp 45.2K

63.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 25.9K

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

28.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

3.16%

Eggs

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

-0.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 Rp 167.5K

$8.23 Rp 148.6K

12.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 Rp 58.5K

$3.25 Rp 58.7K

-0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 Rp 146.7K

$8.05 Rp 145.4K

0.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

3.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

$1.43 Rp 25.8K

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 39.4K

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

20.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

-4.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

$1.97 Rp 35.6K

-12.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.95 Rp 17.2K

21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,229

$0.45 Rp 8,054

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.6K

$1.82 Rp 32.9K

38.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.18 Rp 454.5K

$20.24 Rp 365.4K

24.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$2.05 Rp 37.1K

-13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Rp 59.5K

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

5.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 Rp 8,032

$0.32 Rp 5,856

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.26 Rp 167.2K

$10.00 Rp 180.6K

-7.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,115

$0.54 Rp 9,713

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,634

$0.37 Rp 6,712

-16.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 Rp 49.5K

$2.85 Rp 51.5K

-3.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$0.78 Rp 14.1K

11.54%

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

$20.8K Rp 374.8M

$24.6K Rp 445.0M

-15.78%

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

$34.9K Rp 629.2M

$28.2K Rp 508.9M

23.62%

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$69.9 Rp 1.3M

18.78%

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

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$4.27 Rp 77.1K

-1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 Rp 350.9K

$22.46 Rp 405.6K

-13.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.63 Rp 390.4K

$23.15 Rp 417.9K

-6.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

$6.12 Rp 110.5K

-28.43%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 53.9K

$3.12 Rp 56.3K

-4.49%

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

$186 Rp 3.4M

$91.6 Rp 1.7M

103.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,266 Rp 167.3M

$7,664 Rp 138.4M

20.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$41.87 Rp 755.9K

50.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.49 Rp 694.9K

$31.00 Rp 559.6K

24.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 Rp 1.4M

$67.2 Rp 1.2M

14.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

$74.9 Rp 1.4M

11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 Rp 4.5M

$259 Rp 4.7M

-3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 Rp 2.5M

$157 Rp 2.8M

-12.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 Rp 14.0M

$585 Rp 10.6M

32.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 Rp 7.1M

$339 Rp 6.1M

15.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,136 Rp 38.6M

$1,049 Rp 18.9M

103.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 Rp 19.2M

$644 Rp 11.6M

65.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.9M

$336 Rp 6.1M

-19.90%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Pontianak: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $249 in Surabaya and $259 in Pontianak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pontianak pays 25% 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 $12.00 in Pontianak. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 vs $208, with Pontianak 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 Pontianak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pontianak is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Pontianak. 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: $249 in Surabaya versus $259 in Pontianak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $702 per month in Surabaya versus $662 in Pontianak – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pontianak runs roughly 8% less than in Surabaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Pontianak 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 Pontianak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.