Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Sidoarjo

For one person, living is cheaper in Sidoarjo: $622 a month against $685 in Surabaya, rent and utilities included – about $760 less a year. The total is higher in Surabaya despite lower rent and utilities.

Surabaya, Indonesia
Sidoarjo, Indonesia
Surabaya
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$685
/mo nomad
Sidoarjo
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$622
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Surabaya and in Sidoarjo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Surabaya and in Sidoarjo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $685 in Surabaya versus $622 in Sidoarjo.

  • Surabaya $685
  • Sidoarjo $622

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,189 in Surabaya versus $971 in Sidoarjo.

  • Surabaya $1,189
  • Sidoarjo $971

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,693 in Surabaya versus $1,321 in Sidoarjo.

  • Surabaya $1,693
  • Sidoarjo $1,321

Living in Surabaya is roughly 10% more expensive than in Sidoarjo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 50% lower, Sidoarjo 54% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surabaya
Sidoarjo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.68 Rp 30.5K
$1.64 Rp 29.7K
2.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.51 Rp 208.9K
$11.20 Rp 203.2K
2.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.11 Rp 56.4K
$3.03 Rp 55.0K
2.64%
Cappuccino
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$0.57 Rp 10.3K
170.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 Rp 10.6K
$0.42 Rp 7,672
40.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 Rp 5,123
$0.26 Rp 4,701
7.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$2.22 Rp 40.4K
0.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.20 Rp 76.3K
$4.17 Rp 75.6K
0.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surabaya
Sidoarjo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 Rp 22.6K
$1.21 Rp 21.9K
3.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 Rp 22.8K
$0.97 Rp 17.7K
28.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.81 Rp 14.8K
$0.89 Rp 16.2K
-8.99%
Eggs
$1.18 Rp 21.4K
$1.21 Rp 22.0K
-2.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.35 Rp 133.3K
$7.65 Rp 138.9K
-3.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.02 Rp 54.9K
$1.90 Rp 34.5K
58.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.40 Rp 134.3K
$5.63 Rp 102.1K
31.44%
Apples (1kg)
$2.04 Rp 37.1K
$0.89 Rp 16.2K
129.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 Rp 22.6K
$0.56 Rp 10.2K
121.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 Rp 33.8K
$0.70 Rp 12.6K
165.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.47 Rp 26.7K
$0.53 Rp 9,644
177.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 Rp 24.3K
$0.74 Rp 13.4K
81.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 Rp 34.1K
$1.02 Rp 18.6K
84.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.96 Rp 17.4K
$0.27 Rp 4,848
255.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39 Rp 7,109
$0.39 Rp 7,157
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.95 Rp 35.4K
$1.95 Rp 35.4K
-
Wine (Bottle)
$24.42 Rp 443.1K
$24.62 Rp 446.8K
-0.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.2K
$1.64 Rp 29.7K
4.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.8K
$2.86 Rp 51.8K
3.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Surabaya
Sidoarjo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,846
$0.26 Rp 4,712
3.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.60 Rp 301.2K
$9.85 Rp 178.8K
68.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,497
$0.39 Rp 7,103
20.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,181
$0.41 Rp 7,419
9.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.56 Rp 46.5K
$1.07 Rp 19.4K
139.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.80 Rp 14.5K
1.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.3K Rp 441.7M
$24.4K Rp 443.5M
-0.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 574.6M
$32.6K Rp 591.2M
-2.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surabaya
Sidoarjo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$86.6 Rp 1.6M
$85.9 Rp 1.6M
0.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.57 Rp 82.8K
$4.57 Rp 82.9K
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.49 Rp 353.6K
$11.21 Rp 203.5K
73.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surabaya
Sidoarjo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.35 Rp 278.5K
$18.71 Rp 339.5K
-17.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.53 Rp 118.4K
$8.36 Rp 151.7K
-21.89%
Cinema Ticket
$2.62 Rp 47.6K
$2.63 Rp 47.8K
-0.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surabaya
Sidoarjo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$270 Rp 4.9M
$93.4 Rp 1.7M
189.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,294 Rp 168.6M
$9,471 Rp 171.9M
-1.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surabaya
Sidoarjo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.1 Rp 1.3M
$69.3 Rp 1.3M
-0.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.24 Rp 693.9K
$38.31 Rp 695.0K
-0.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 Rp 1.4M
$79.6 Rp 1.4M
-1.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.5 Rp 1.4M
$73.1 Rp 1.3M
2.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surabaya
Sidoarjo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$274 Rp 5.0M
$229 Rp 4.1M
19.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$148 Rp 2.7M
$148 Rp 2.7M
-0.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,204 Rp 21.9M
$553 Rp 10.0M
117.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$607 Rp 11.0M
$373 Rp 6.8M
62.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,146 Rp 38.9M
$1,141 Rp 20.7M
88.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,065 Rp 19.3M
$802 Rp 14.6M
32.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surabaya
Sidoarjo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$266 Rp 4.8M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.5
7.5
-

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

Last update for Surabaya: October 27, 2026

Last update for Sidoarjo: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Surabaya
$205
Sidoarjo
$166 18.8% $38
Accommodation & Living
Surabaya
$148
Sidoarjo
$148 0.5% $0.8
Clothing & Footwear
Surabaya
$117
Sidoarjo
$117 0.1% $0.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surabaya
$111
Sidoarjo
$102 8.1% $8.9
Eating Out
Surabaya
$64
Sidoarjo
$51 20.3% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Surabaya
$21
Sidoarjo
$24 16.4% $3.4
Getting Around
Surabaya
$20
Sidoarjo
$13 34.6% $7.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $274 in Surabaya and $229 in Sidoarjo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12 in Surabaya vs $11 in Sidoarjo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $166 per month, with Sidoarjo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Surabaya
🇮🇩 Sidoarjo
🕒 Local time
22:13 10:13 PM
22:13 10:13 PM
Same time as Surabaya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,765,487
201,115
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 18,145 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,281 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Surabaya Sidoarjo 22 km
From you
  • Surabaya
  • Sidoarjo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sidoarjo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sidoarjo cheaper than Surabaya?
Sidoarjo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,028 in Surabaya and $932 in Sidoarjo 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.
What is the rent difference between Surabaya and Sidoarjo?
Rent for a central apartment: $274 in Surabaya versus $229 in Sidoarjo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Surabaya and in Sidoarjo?
All in, you’ll spend $685 per month in Surabaya versus $622 in Sidoarjo – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Sidoarjo runs roughly 41% less than in Surabaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Surabaya or Sidoarjo?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Sidoarjo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Surabaya or in Sidoarjo?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Sidoarjo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Surabaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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