Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Purwokerto Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Purwokerto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $676 per month in Surabaya vs $517 in Purwokerto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Surabaya vs $847 in Purwokerto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,728 per month in Surabaya vs $1,176 in Purwokerto, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 31% more than Purwokerto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surabaya and Purwokerto are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 51% lower, Purwokerto 62% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surabaya
Purwokerto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.73 Rp 30.7K
$1.30 Rp 23.1K
33.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.51 Rp 204.3K
$8.34 Rp 148.0K
38.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.25 Rp 57.7K
$3.21 Rp 56.9K
1.25%
Cappuccino
$1.58 Rp 28.0K
$1.40 Rp 24.8K
12.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 Rp 10.9K
$0.42 Rp 7,372
47.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 Rp 4,565
$0.17 Rp 3,082
52.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.22 Rp 39.3K
$2.24 Rp 39.8K
-0.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 Rp 77.4K
$3.10 Rp 55.0K
40.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surabaya
Purwokerto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 Rp 22.5K
$1.15 Rp 20.4K
10.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 Rp 23.1K
$0.89 Rp 15.7K
46.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.90 Rp 15.9K
$0.83 Rp 14.8K
8.43%
Eggs
$1.23 Rp 21.8K
$1.48 Rp 26.3K
-16.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.62 Rp 135.2K
$7.26 Rp 128.8K
4.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.09 Rp 54.9K
$2.88 Rp 51.1K
7.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 Rp 134.9K
$7.60 Rp 134.9K
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 Rp 37.6K
$2.23 Rp 39.5K
-4.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.28 Rp 22.7K
$1.12 Rp 19.9K
14.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 Rp 34.1K
$1.51 Rp 26.8K
27.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 27.8K
$0.91 Rp 16.2K
72.53%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 Rp 23.8K
$1.11 Rp 19.7K
20.72%
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 Rp 36.0K
$1.94 Rp 34.4K
4.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.6K
$0.67 Rp 11.9K
47.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.41 Rp 7,202
$0.36 Rp 6,314
13.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.92 Rp 34.1K
$2.39 Rp 42.5K
-19.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$25.23 Rp 447.8K
$22.29 Rp 395.6K
13.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 Rp 31.5K
$1.87 Rp 33.2K
-5.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 Rp 51.8K
$3.12 Rp 55.4K
-6.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Surabaya
Purwokerto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 Rp 5,838
$0.22 Rp 3,911
50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$11.88 Rp 210.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.52 Rp 9,257
$0.49 Rp 8,609
6.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,648
$0.33 Rp 5,806
30.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.76 Rp 49.0K
$2.35 Rp 41.7K
17.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.77 Rp 13.6K
$0.72 Rp 12.8K
6.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.8K Rp 440.2M
$21.5K Rp 381.0M
15.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K Rp 576.7M
$29.0K Rp 514.0M
12.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surabaya
Purwokerto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$86.6 Rp 1.5M
$34.43 Rp 611.0K
151.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.68 Rp 83.1K
$2.78 Rp 49.3K
68.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.47 Rp 345.5K
$19.10 Rp 338.9K
1.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surabaya
Purwokerto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.72 Rp 332.2K
$19.74 Rp 350.4K
-5.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96 Rp 123.5K
$11.29 Rp 200.4K
-38.35%
Cinema Ticket
$2.70 Rp 47.9K
$2.51 Rp 44.5K
7.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surabaya
Purwokerto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$283 Rp 5.0M
$94.4 Rp 1.7M
199.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,866 Rp 175.1M
$7,263 Rp 128.9M
35.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surabaya
Purwokerto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.9 Rp 1.3M
$39.61 Rp 702.9K
81.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.23 Rp 714.0K
$31.60 Rp 560.9K
27.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
$73.0 Rp 1.3M
13.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.9 Rp 1.3M
$73.2 Rp 1.3M
3.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surabaya
Purwokerto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$282 Rp 5.0M
$140 Rp 2.5M
101.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$150 Rp 2.7M
$72.3 Rp 1.3M
107.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,256 Rp 22.3M
$587 Rp 10.4M
113.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$619 Rp 11.0M
$259 Rp 4.6M
139.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,218 Rp 39.4M
$1,409 Rp 25.0M
57.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,072 Rp 19.0M
$288 Rp 5.1M
271.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surabaya
Purwokerto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$277 Rp 4.9M
$120 Rp 2.1M
130.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.5
8.45
-11.24%

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

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Purwokerto: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Surabaya versus $140 in Purwokerto. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 131% higher in Surabaya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya versus $8.00 in Purwokerto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $191 – making Purwokerto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Purwokerto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Purwokerto cheaper than Surabaya?
Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Surabaya and $776 in Purwokerto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Purwokerto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Surabaya or in Purwokerto?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya and $8.00 in Purwokerto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Surabaya and in Purwokerto?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Surabaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 enough for either Surabaya or Purwokerto?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $676 in Surabaya and $517 in Purwokerto, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Surabaya or Purwokerto more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Purwokerto – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Surabaya or Purwokerto?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Purwokerto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surabaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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