Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Samarinda Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Samarinda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $708 per month in Surabaya vs $695 in Samarinda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,133 per month in Surabaya vs $1,072 in Samarinda, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,557 per month in Surabaya vs $1,448 in Samarinda, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 2% more than Samarinda, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surabaya and Samarinda are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 47% lower, Samarinda 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

-3.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.12 Rp 216.4K

$12.05 Rp 215.2K

0.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

$5.94 Rp 106.1K

-47.31%

Cappuccino

$1.82 Rp 32.4K

$1.72 Rp 30.7K

5.81%

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

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

$0.49 Rp 8,754

22.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,602

$0.39 Rp 6,927

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 43.0K

$2.49 Rp 44.5K

-3.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 Rp 71.7K

$3.55 Rp 63.3K

13.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

$0.94 Rp 16.7K

55.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

29.17%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

$1.54 Rp 27.5K

-6.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

$8.30 Rp 148.2K

8.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

$3.91 Rp 69.9K

-15.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 Rp 151.0K

$11.17 Rp 199.5K

-24.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 43.2K

$5.75 Rp 102.6K

-57.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.5K

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

26.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.2K

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

80.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

$1.64 Rp 29.3K

-13.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$2.06 Rp 36.8K

-12.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,529

$0.56 Rp 9,975

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 Rp 45.4K

$2.27 Rp 40.5K

11.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.78 Rp 442.6K

$20.69 Rp 369.5K

19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.5K

$2.12 Rp 37.8K

-16.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

$3.13 Rp 56.0K

0.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$0.32 Rp 5,749

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.40 Rp 168.0K

$9.79 Rp 174.8K

-3.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,919

$0.96 Rp 17.1K

-54.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,165

$0.38 Rp 6,749

-23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 Rp 49.5K

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

-7.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

33.33%

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

$20.6K Rp 368.5M

$24.6K Rp 439.6M

-16.16%

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

$35.8K Rp 639.4M

$28.0K Rp 500.0M

27.87%

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

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

20.76%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.0K

$4.24 Rp 75.8K

-3.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.75 Rp 352.7K

$22.90 Rp 408.9K

-13.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.59 Rp 385.6K

$22.93 Rp 409.4K

-5.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.57 Rp 81.6K

$6.14 Rp 109.6K

-25.57%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 Rp 50.9K

$3.00 Rp 53.5K

-5.00%

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

$188 Rp 3.3M

$92.2 Rp 1.6M

103.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,556 Rp 170.7M

$7,444 Rp 132.9M

28.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

$41.15 Rp 734.8K

49.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.56 Rp 688.5K

$31.26 Rp 558.3K

23.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

$65.9 Rp 1.2M

17.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$73.6 Rp 1.3M

13.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 Rp 4.3M

$262 Rp 4.7M

-7.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$158 Rp 2.8M

-14.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 Rp 13.6M

$596 Rp 10.6M

27.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 Rp 7.0M

$336 Rp 6.0M

17.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,209 Rp 39.5M

$1,151 Rp 20.6M

91.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,067 Rp 19.0M

$652 Rp 11.6M

63.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$276 Rp 4.9M

$330 Rp 5.9M

-16.47%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Samarinda: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Surabaya versus $262 in Samarinda. 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 20% higher in Samarinda, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya versus $12.00 in Samarinda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $235 – making Surabaya 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 Samarinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $708 in Surabaya, $695 in Samarinda – roughly 2% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,062 per month in Surabaya and $1,042 in Samarinda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samarinda, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya and $12.00 in Samarinda. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $708 in Surabaya and $695 in Samarinda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $708 in Surabaya and $695 in Samarinda, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Samarinda – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Samarinda. 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.