Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Sibolga Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Sibolga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $676 in Surabaya versus $629 in Sibolga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,202 in Surabaya versus $996 in Sibolga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,728 in Surabaya versus $1,363 in Sibolga.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 8% more expensive than in Sibolga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 51% lower, Sibolga 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$1.86 Rp 33.0K

-6.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

$12.51 Rp 221.6K

-7.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

5.18%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$1.48 Rp 26.3K

6.76%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.43 Rp 7,596

44.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,554

$0.22 Rp 3,949

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$2.17 Rp 38.4K

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

$3.47 Rp 61.5K

25.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.29 Rp 22.8K

-1.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.25 Rp 22.2K

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.78 Rp 13.7K

15.38%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

-4.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$7.00 Rp 123.9K

8.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$2.62 Rp 46.4K

17.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

$8.03 Rp 142.2K

-5.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

-7.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

-6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

1.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

8.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

-8.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.85 Rp 15.0K

16.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,186

$0.41 Rp 7,250

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$2.93 Rp 51.8K

-34.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

$22.84 Rp 404.5K

10.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

-3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

9.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$0.32 Rp 5,678

3.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,236

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

-8.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,630

$0.34 Rp 6,029

26.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

$2.94 Rp 52.1K

-6.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

-14.44%

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

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

$21.1K Rp 373.6M

17.57%

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

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

$30.5K Rp 540.2M

6.51%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$70.7 Rp 1.3M

22.48%

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

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

$4.12 Rp 73.0K

13.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

$19.28 Rp 341.4K

0.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

$19.00 Rp 336.5K

-1.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

$7.31 Rp 129.4K

-4.79%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$2.54 Rp 44.9K

6.30%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$108 Rp 1.9M

162.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

$8,988 Rp 159.1M

9.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$46.17 Rp 817.5K

55.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

$31.95 Rp 565.8K

25.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

26.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$70.6 Rp 1.2M

7.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$214 Rp 3.8M

31.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$166 Rp 2.9M

-9.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

$598 Rp 10.6M

110.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$326 Rp 5.8M

89.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

$1,187 Rp 21.0M

86.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

$769 Rp 13.6M

39.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

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 Sibolga: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Surabaya and $214 in Sibolga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surabaya vs $13.00 in Sibolga. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $203, with Sibolga cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sibolga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surabaya and Sibolga differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($676 vs $629 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,015 in Surabaya and $943 in Sibolga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $282 in Surabaya versus $214 in Sibolga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $283 in Surabaya versus $108 in Sibolga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sibolga – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $12.00 in Surabaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sibolga gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Sibolga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.