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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $700 per month in Surabaya vs $660 in Surakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,117 per month in Surabaya vs $1,001 in Surakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,535 per month in Surabaya vs $1,343 in Surakarta, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 6% 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

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$1.59 Rp 28.4K

-4.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.46 Rp 223.3K

$12.17 Rp 218.1K

2.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

$3.10 Rp 55.6K

0.97%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.67 Rp 29.9K

4.19%

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

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,017

$0.27 Rp 4,841

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 Rp 44.7K

$1.83 Rp 32.7K

36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 Rp 70.2K

$2.99 Rp 53.6K

31.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

23.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$0.84 Rp 15.0K

78.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

24.00%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$1.25 Rp 22.4K

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 Rp 166.7K

$9.01 Rp 161.5K

3.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

$2.87 Rp 51.5K

10.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.19 Rp 146.8K

$7.15 Rp 128.2K

14.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$1.55 Rp 27.7K

-3.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Rp 38.8K

$2.10 Rp 37.7K

3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

5.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 Rp 31.9K

$1.64 Rp 29.4K

8.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

81.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,099

$0.43 Rp 7,642

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 Rp 43.7K

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

11.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.54 Rp 439.7K

$8.04 Rp 144.1K

205.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

$1.84 Rp 32.9K

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 Rp 58.6K

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

-0.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 Rp 8,495

$0.42 Rp 7,500

11.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.14 Rp 163.8K

$9.86 Rp 176.6K

-7.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,431

$0.44 Rp 7,921

6.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,569

$0.31 Rp 5,622

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.80 Rp 50.1K

-1.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

4.82%

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

$20.8K Rp 373.4M

$20.6K Rp 369.9M

0.96%

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

$34.9K Rp 624.7M

$34.9K Rp 625.7M

-0.17%

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

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

$84.6 Rp 1.5M

-0.85%

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

$4.10 Rp 73.5K

$2.22 Rp 39.7K

84.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.83 Rp 355.3K

$19.39 Rp 347.4K

2.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.93 Rp 393.0K

$19.74 Rp 353.7K

11.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.44 Rp 79.5K

$6.01 Rp 107.7K

-26.12%

Cinema Ticket

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

33.94%

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

$192 Rp 3.4M

$37.15 Rp 665.5K

415.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,350 Rp 167.5M

$2,032 Rp 36.4M

360.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$61.2 Rp 1.1M

2.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 Rp 706.8K

$38.27 Rp 685.7K

3.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

-0.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

14.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.4M

$259 Rp 4.6M

-6.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$157 Rp 2.8M

-14.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 Rp 13.7M

$585 Rp 10.5M

30.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 Rp 7.0M

$328 Rp 5.9M

18.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,223 Rp 39.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,057 Rp 18.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$158 Rp 2.8M

70.22%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Surabaya versus $259 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 – $227 in Surabaya vs $173 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: $700 in Surabaya, $660 in Surakarta – roughly 6% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,050 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 31% 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 $700 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.