Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Semarang Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Semarang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $702 per month in Surabaya vs $644 in Semarang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,117 per month in Surabaya vs $1,036 in Semarang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,532 per month in Surabaya vs $1,429 in Semarang, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 9% more than Semarang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surabaya and Semarang are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 47% lower, Semarang 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

-11.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.11 Rp 217.6K

$12.50 Rp 224.6K

-3.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.05 Rp 54.9K

$3.64 Rp 65.4K

-16.21%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

23.29%

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

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$0.48 Rp 8,703

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,048

$0.27 Rp 4,829

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 43.2K

$2.01 Rp 36.1K

19.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 Rp 73.5K

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

41.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

28.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

9.30%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

-5.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 Rp 166.1K

$6.13 Rp 110.1K

50.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

$2.82 Rp 50.6K

13.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 Rp 146.0K

$8.48 Rp 152.4K

-4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

$2.60 Rp 46.6K

-7.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.60 Rp 28.7K

-2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.95 Rp 35.1K

12.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

-4.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

$1.23 Rp 22.2K

8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$1.86 Rp 33.4K

-6.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

36.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,091

$0.40 Rp 7,269

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

$2.29 Rp 41.2K

6.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.13 Rp 451.6K

$13.53 Rp 243.1K

85.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

$2.56 Rp 46.0K

-27.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.5K

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

16.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 Rp 7,860

$0.26 Rp 4,710

69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.48 Rp 170.4K

$12.96 Rp 232.9K

-26.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,592

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

-44.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,615

$0.31 Rp 5,572

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.87 Rp 51.5K

-4.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

7.50%

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

$20.5K Rp 368.6M

$24.8K Rp 445.4M

-17.23%

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

$35.0K Rp 629.7M

$30.4K Rp 546.4M

15.25%

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

-10.52%

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

$4.31 Rp 77.5K

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

56.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.61 Rp 352.5K

$23.45 Rp 421.5K

-16.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.82 Rp 392.2K

$23.69 Rp 425.7K

-7.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.59 Rp 82.6K

$5.24 Rp 94.1K

-12.40%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

$3.05 Rp 54.8K

-5.90%

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

$186 Rp 3.3M

$44.58 Rp 801.1K

316.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,556 Rp 171.7M

$2,388 Rp 42.9M

300.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$36.26 Rp 651.6K

73.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 Rp 698.2K

$32.31 Rp 580.6K

20.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

$67.1 Rp 1.2M

15.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

$43.45 Rp 780.8K

91.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.4M

$255 Rp 4.6M

-4.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 Rp 2.4M

$152 Rp 2.7M

-10.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 Rp 14.2M

$544 Rp 9.8M

45.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 Rp 7.2M

$419 Rp 7.5M

-4.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 Rp 39.6M

$1,179 Rp 21.2M

86.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

$545 Rp 9.8M

91.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$189 Rp 3.4M

42.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

7.83

6.39%

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

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Last update for Semarang: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Surabaya versus $255 in Semarang. 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 43% 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 $12.00 in Semarang. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Surabaya vs $188 in Semarang – so Semarang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Semarang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,054 per month in Surabaya and $966 in Semarang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Semarang, 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 Semarang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $702 in Surabaya and $644 in Semarang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $702 in Surabaya and $644 in Semarang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Semarang – 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 Semarang. 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.