Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Surakarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Surakarta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $676 per month in Surabaya vs $527 in Surakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Surabaya vs $849 in Surakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,728 per month in Surabaya vs $1,172 in Surakarta, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 28% more than Surakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surabaya and Surakarta are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 51% lower, Surakarta 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

4.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

$11.67 Rp 206.6K

-1.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

$3.14 Rp 55.7K

3.50%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

-0.63%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.49 Rp 8,756

26.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,554

$0.23 Rp 4,051

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$1.43 Rp 25.3K

55.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

50.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

39.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

73.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

16.88%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

21.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$8.02 Rp 142.0K

-4.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$1.75 Rp 30.9K

76.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

$5.35 Rp 94.8K

42.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$2.11 Rp 37.4K

0.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

0.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

-1.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

7.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

-2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

21.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

70.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,186

$0.41 Rp 7,247

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$2.00 Rp 35.4K

-4.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

$8.57 Rp 151.7K

194.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.74 Rp 30.8K

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$2.92 Rp 51.6K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$0.39 Rp 6,862

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.73 Rp 402.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,236

$0.51 Rp 9,109

1.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,630

$0.47 Rp 8,269

-8.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

5.48%

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

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

$25.4K Rp 450.5M

-2.51%

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

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

$33.5K Rp 592.7M

-2.93%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$81.3 Rp 1.4M

6.61%

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

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

127.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

$18.91 Rp 334.8K

2.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

$16.12 Rp 285.5K

16.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

$8.56 Rp 151.6K

-18.69%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$2.00 Rp 35.5K

35.00%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$33.61 Rp 595.2K

741.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

$1,873 Rp 33.2M

426.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$59.2 Rp 1.0M

21.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

$36.91 Rp 653.5K

8.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

15.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

12.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$167 Rp 3.0M

68.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$57.0 Rp 1.0M

163.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

$341 Rp 6.0M

268.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$197 Rp 3.5M

214.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$163 Rp 2.9M

69.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

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

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Surabaya versus $167 in Surakarta. 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 70% 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 Surakarta. Groceries tell a different story – $211 in Surabaya vs $152 in Surakarta – so Surakarta 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 Surakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $676 in Surabaya, $527 in Surakarta – roughly 28% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Surabaya and $790 in Surakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surakarta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $676 in Surabaya and $527 in Surakarta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $283 per month in Surabaya and $33.61 in Surakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $676 in Surabaya and $527 in Surakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Surakarta – 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 Surakarta. 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.