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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $693 per month in Surabaya vs $660 in Surakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,106 per month in Surabaya vs $999 in Surakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,520 per month in Surabaya vs $1,339 in Surakarta, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 5% more than Surakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surabaya and Surakarta are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 48% lower, Surakarta 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 27.4K

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

5.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.16 Rp 210.8K

$12.10 Rp 209.8K

0.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.98 Rp 51.7K

$3.16 Rp 54.7K

-5.70%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$1.65 Rp 28.6K

5.45%

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

$0.65 Rp 11.4K

$0.60 Rp 10.5K

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,460

$0.27 Rp 4,721

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 41.8K

$1.85 Rp 32.1K

30.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 Rp 70.3K

$2.84 Rp 49.3K

42.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 25.0K

$1.15 Rp 19.9K

25.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Rp 25.2K

$0.90 Rp 15.6K

62.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 17.4K

$0.75 Rp 13.0K

34.67%

Eggs

$1.46 Rp 25.3K

$1.23 Rp 21.4K

18.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 162.7K

$8.99 Rp 155.8K

4.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 Rp 57.4K

$2.89 Rp 50.1K

14.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 142.9K

$7.27 Rp 126.0K

13.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 39.9K

$2.40 Rp 41.6K

-4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

$1.54 Rp 26.7K

-1.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 36.9K

$2.12 Rp 36.7K

0.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

$1.39 Rp 24.1K

7.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.0K

$1.37 Rp 23.8K

-2.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.3K

$1.65 Rp 28.6K

9.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 Rp 20.9K

$0.62 Rp 10.8K

93.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,874

$0.46 Rp 7,898

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 Rp 44.3K

$2.18 Rp 37.7K

16.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.75 Rp 446.3K

$8.86 Rp 153.6K

190.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.0K

$1.78 Rp 30.8K

3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 Rp 54.4K

$3.15 Rp 54.6K

-0.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,241

$0.45 Rp 7,757

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.24 Rp 160.1K

$10.08 Rp 174.7K

-8.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,715

$0.44 Rp 7,642

2.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,453

$0.29 Rp 5,002

6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 Rp 47.2K

$2.69 Rp 46.7K

1.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.7K

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

10.39%

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

$21.0K Rp 364.5M

$20.8K Rp 359.7M

1.33%

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

$35.7K Rp 619.1M

$35.1K Rp 608.9M

1.67%

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

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

-1.24%

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

$4.29 Rp 74.3K

$2.22 Rp 38.5K

93.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.62 Rp 340.1K

$19.77 Rp 342.6K

-0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.80 Rp 377.9K

$19.77 Rp 342.6K

10.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 Rp 76.5K

$6.00 Rp 104.0K

-26.33%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 51.7K

$2.21 Rp 38.3K

34.84%

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

$186 Rp 3.2M

$37.42 Rp 648.5K

397.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,464 Rp 164.0M

$2,046 Rp 35.5M

362.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 Rp 1.1M

$62.3 Rp 1.1M

0.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 Rp 679.1K

$38.19 Rp 661.9K

2.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$77.7 Rp 1.3M

0.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 Rp 1.4M

$70.9 Rp 1.2M

16.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.2M

$262 Rp 4.5M

-7.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.3M

$156 Rp 2.7M

-13.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 Rp 13.7M

$581 Rp 10.1M

35.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 Rp 6.8M

$331 Rp 5.7M

19.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,262 Rp 39.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 Rp 19.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 Rp 5.2M

$164 Rp 2.8M

84.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

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

Last update for Surabaya: April 25, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Surabaya versus $262 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 85% 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 – $230 in Surabaya vs $177 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: $693 in Surabaya, $660 in Surakarta – roughly 5% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,039 per month in Surabaya and $990 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.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Surabaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya and $12.00 in Surakarta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $693 in Surabaya and $660 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.