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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $692 per month in Surabaya vs $581 in Semarang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,196 per month in Surabaya vs $928 in Semarang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,700 per month in Surabaya vs $1,274 in Semarang, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 19% more than Semarang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surabaya and Semarang are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 50% lower, Semarang 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

19.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.58 Rp 203.9K

$10.54 Rp 185.6K

9.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

Cappuccino

$1.59 Rp 28.0K

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

28.23%

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

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

$0.49 Rp 8,635

16.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,556

$0.18 Rp 3,148

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 Rp 40.7K

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$3.43 Rp 60.3K

25.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 21.4K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

8.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 22.9K

$0.96 Rp 16.9K

35.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 14.7K

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

6.33%

Eggs

$1.21 Rp 21.3K

$1.38 Rp 24.3K

-12.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 Rp 139.1K

$5.66 Rp 99.6K

39.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 Rp 52.3K

$2.36 Rp 41.6K

25.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 133.8K

$8.16 Rp 143.6K

-6.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 37.5K

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

-15.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

-13.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 32.6K

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

2.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.6K

$1.79 Rp 31.5K

-25.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.1K

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

-10.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.0K

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

16.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,648

$0.42 Rp 7,375

2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 Rp 35.9K

$2.26 Rp 39.8K

-9.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.91 Rp 456.1K

$14.17 Rp 249.5K

82.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$2.35 Rp 41.4K

-25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 Rp 53.4K

$2.70 Rp 47.5K

12.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,732

$0.24 Rp 4,246

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.32 Rp 252.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,409

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

-46.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,175

$0.29 Rp 5,129

58.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 Rp 48.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

1.25%

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

$25.4K Rp 446.3M

$23.0K Rp 405.1M

10.19%

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

$32.7K Rp 575.2M

$31.1K Rp 547.6M

5.04%

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

$89.2 Rp 1.6M

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

31.09%

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

$4.62 Rp 81.4K

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

71.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.75 Rp 347.8K

$20.77 Rp 365.6K

-4.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.50 Rp 325.7K

$21.00 Rp 369.8K

-11.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.79 Rp 119.5K

$4.76 Rp 83.8K

42.65%

Cinema Ticket

$2.71 Rp 47.6K

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

22.07%

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

$278 Rp 4.9M

$40.97 Rp 721.3K

577.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,802 Rp 172.6M

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

339.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

$28.65 Rp 504.3K

153.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.01 Rp 704.5K

$29.45 Rp 518.4K

35.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 Rp 1.4M

$58.8 Rp 1.0M

39.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.3M

$39.84 Rp 701.5K

91.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 Rp 5.1M

$229 Rp 4.0M

26.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.6M

$143 Rp 2.5M

4.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 Rp 22.5M

$496 Rp 8.7M

157.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 Rp 10.7M

$394 Rp 6.9M

54.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 Rp 38.8M

$1,178 Rp 20.7M

86.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,066 Rp 18.8M

$557 Rp 9.8M

91.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 Rp 4.9M

$196 Rp 3.5M

42.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

7.83

-4.21%

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

Last update for Surabaya: September 5, 2026

Last update for Semarang: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in Surabaya versus $229 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 42% 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 $11.00 in Semarang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $183 – making Semarang 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 Semarang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surabaya is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,038 per month in Surabaya and $872 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 $11.00 in Semarang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Surabaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $692 in Surabaya and $581 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.