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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $676 per month in Surabaya vs $668 in Samarinda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Surabaya vs $1,042 in Samarinda, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,728 per month in Surabaya vs $1,417 in Samarinda, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 1% more than Samarinda, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

3.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 204.3K

$14.45 Rp 256.4K

-20.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.7K

$3.33 Rp 59.1K

-2.40%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

4.64%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.45 Rp 8,059

37.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,565

$0.23 Rp 4,105

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$2.41 Rp 42.9K

-7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.4K

$3.55 Rp 63.0K

22.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.08 Rp 19.2K

17.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

51.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

36.36%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

-16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 135.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.9K

$3.58 Rp 63.5K

-13.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.9K

$10.18 Rp 180.6K

-25.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.6K

$5.14 Rp 91.3K

-58.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.1K

$1.12 Rp 19.9K

71.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

$1.44 Rp 25.6K

9.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.8K

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

0.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 36.0K

$1.89 Rp 33.6K

7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

35.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,202

$0.56 Rp 9,935

-26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.1K

$2.09 Rp 37.2K

-8.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 447.8K

$20.88 Rp 370.6K

20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.5K

$1.73 Rp 30.8K

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.8K

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

-1.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,838

$0.31 Rp 5,576

6.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,257

$0.50 Rp 8,888

4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,648

$0.29 Rp 5,172

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 49.0K

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

-6.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

-4.94%

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

$24.8K Rp 440.2M

$26.2K Rp 465.3M

-5.39%

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

$32.5K Rp 576.7M

$30.6K Rp 543.3M

6.14%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$69.6 Rp 1.2M

24.55%

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

$4.68 Rp 83.1K

$4.76 Rp 84.5K

-1.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 345.5K

$19.69 Rp 349.5K

-1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 332.2K

$20.10 Rp 356.7K

-6.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.5K

$7.41 Rp 131.5K

-6.07%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.9K

$2.77 Rp 49.2K

-2.53%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

186.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 175.1M

$6,725 Rp 119.4M

46.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$41.32 Rp 733.4K

74.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 714.0K

$29.85 Rp 529.7K

34.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

10.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

-4.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$198 Rp 3.5M

42.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$135 Rp 2.4M

11.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.3M

$483 Rp 8.6M

160.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$358 Rp 6.3M

73.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.4M

$1,143 Rp 20.3M

94.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

$687 Rp 12.2M

56.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$340 Rp 6.0M

-18.58%

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 Samarinda: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Surabaya versus $198 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 23% 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 $14.00 in Samarinda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $217 – 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: $676 in Surabaya, $668 in Samarinda – roughly 1% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Surabaya and $1,001 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 $14.00 in Samarinda. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Surabaya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $676 in Surabaya and $668 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.