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: $700 in Surabaya versus $600 in Sibolga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,117 in Surabaya versus $943 in Sibolga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,535 in Surabaya versus $1,285 in Sibolga.

Living in Surabaya is roughly 17% more expensive than Sibolga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 48% lower, Sibolga 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.46 Rp 223.3K

$12.25 Rp 219.4K

1.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

$3.34 Rp 59.8K

-6.29%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.70 Rp 30.5K

2.35%

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

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

$0.55 Rp 9,781

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,017

$0.26 Rp 4,610

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 Rp 44.7K

$3.02 Rp 54.0K

-17.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 Rp 70.2K

$2.60 Rp 46.5K

50.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

21.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.12 Rp 20.0K

33.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$0.92 Rp 16.5K

1.09%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

-5.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 Rp 166.7K

$7.94 Rp 142.2K

17.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

$2.32 Rp 41.5K

36.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.19 Rp 146.8K

$9.04 Rp 162.0K

-9.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

3.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Rp 38.8K

$1.86 Rp 33.3K

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

-4.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

94.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 Rp 31.9K

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

16.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.91 Rp 16.3K

27.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,099

$0.33 Rp 5,840

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 Rp 43.7K

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

36.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.54 Rp 439.7K

$18.67 Rp 334.5K

31.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

$2.27 Rp 40.7K

-19.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 Rp 58.6K

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

45.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 Rp 8,495

$0.45 Rp 8,016

4.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.14 Rp 163.8K

$9.91 Rp 177.6K

-7.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,431

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

-17.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,569

$0.38 Rp 6,764

-18.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

-3.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

-14.71%

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

$20.8K Rp 373.4M

$24.5K Rp 439.2M

-14.98%

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

$34.9K Rp 624.7M

$27.6K Rp 495.0M

26.19%

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

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

$26.42 Rp 473.3K

217.60%

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

$4.10 Rp 73.5K

$4.27 Rp 76.4K

-3.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.83 Rp 355.3K

$22.51 Rp 403.2K

-11.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.93 Rp 393.0K

$23.14 Rp 414.5K

-5.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.44 Rp 79.5K

$6.33 Rp 113.5K

-29.86%

Cinema Ticket

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

-5.73%

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

$192 Rp 3.4M

$24.08 Rp 431.5K

695.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,350 Rp 167.5M

$7,714 Rp 138.2M

21.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$15.47 Rp 277.2K

306.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 Rp 706.8K

$18.47 Rp 330.9K

113.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

18.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

$73.9 Rp 1.3M

10.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.4M

$261 Rp 4.7M

-6.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$156 Rp 2.8M

-13.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 Rp 13.7M

$593 Rp 10.6M

28.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 Rp 7.0M

$335 Rp 6.0M

16.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,223 Rp 39.8M

$1,315 Rp 23.6M

69.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,057 Rp 18.9M

$764 Rp 13.7M

38.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

9.15

-8.96%

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

Last update for Surabaya: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sibolga: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Surabaya and $261 in Sibolga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surabaya vs $12.00 in Sibolga. Groceries flip the comparison at $227 vs $196, 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 17% in total monthly costs ($700 vs $600 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,050 in Surabaya and $901 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: $244 in Surabaya versus $261 in Sibolga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $700 per month in Surabaya versus $600 in Sibolga – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 17% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.