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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $708 per month in Surabaya vs $652 in Semarang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,133 per month in Surabaya vs $1,022 in Semarang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,557 per month in Surabaya vs $1,391 in Semarang, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 9% more than Semarang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surabaya and Semarang are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 47% lower, Semarang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

-15.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.12 Rp 217.3K

$12.32 Rp 220.9K

-1.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

$3.69 Rp 66.1K

-15.18%

Cappuccino

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

21.33%

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

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

$0.52 Rp 9,352

15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,620

$0.27 Rp 4,833

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 43.2K

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

21.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 Rp 72.0K

$3.01 Rp 53.9K

33.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

41.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

16.25%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.9K

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

-5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 Rp 162.1K

$6.11 Rp 109.5K

47.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

12.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 Rp 151.5K

$8.73 Rp 156.5K

-3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 43.3K

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

-6.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

-3.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

16.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

-10.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

1.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

$1.88 Rp 33.8K

-4.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$0.91 Rp 16.3K

29.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,557

$0.41 Rp 7,300

2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 Rp 45.6K

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

12.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.78 Rp 444.3K

$14.10 Rp 252.7K

75.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.6K

$2.58 Rp 46.3K

-31.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 Rp 56.4K

$2.88 Rp 51.5K

9.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,521

$0.26 Rp 4,661

84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.40 Rp 168.6K

$13.11 Rp 234.9K

-28.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,949

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

-52.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,185

$0.31 Rp 5,634

-6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 Rp 49.7K

$2.88 Rp 51.6K

-3.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

-2.33%

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

$20.6K Rp 369.9M

$24.5K Rp 439.9M

-15.90%

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

$35.8K Rp 641.8M

$31.2K Rp 558.6M

14.90%

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

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

$94.0 Rp 1.7M

-9.70%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.3K

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

49.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.75 Rp 354.1K

$23.89 Rp 428.2K

-17.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.59 Rp 387.0K

$23.84 Rp 427.4K

-9.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.57 Rp 81.9K

$5.06 Rp 90.6K

-9.68%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 Rp 51.1K

$3.05 Rp 54.6K

-6.56%

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

$188 Rp 3.4M

$44.50 Rp 797.7K

321.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,556 Rp 171.3M

$2,399 Rp 43.0M

298.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

$37.42 Rp 670.8K

64.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.56 Rp 691.1K

$32.67 Rp 585.6K

18.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

16.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$43.76 Rp 784.5K

91.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 Rp 4.3M

$255 Rp 4.6M

-5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$154 Rp 2.8M

-11.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 Rp 13.7M

$536 Rp 9.6M

42.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 Rp 7.0M

$413 Rp 7.4M

-4.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,209 Rp 39.6M

$1,187 Rp 21.3M

86.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,067 Rp 19.1M

$564 Rp 10.1M

89.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$276 Rp 4.9M

$184 Rp 3.3M

50.07%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Semarang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 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 50% 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 – $226 in Surabaya vs $190 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 Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,062 per month in Surabaya and $978 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 $708 in Surabaya and $652 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 $708 in Surabaya and $652 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.