Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Tangerang Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Tangerang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $702 per month in Surabaya vs $787 in Tangerang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,117 per month in Surabaya vs $1,290 in Tangerang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,532 per month in Surabaya vs $1,794 in Tangerang, rent included.

Surabaya is about 11% cheaper than Tangerang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surabaya and Tangerang are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 47% lower, Tangerang 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

0.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.11 Rp 217.6K

$18.76 Rp 337.1K

-35.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.05 Rp 54.9K

$3.49 Rp 62.7K

-12.61%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

4.05%

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

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

12.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,048

$0.26 Rp 4,642

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 43.2K

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

-12.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 Rp 73.5K

$3.50 Rp 63.0K

16.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

16.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.60 Rp 28.7K

-6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 Rp 166.1K

$9.34 Rp 167.9K

-1.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

$3.12 Rp 56.1K

2.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 Rp 146.0K

$7.69 Rp 138.2K

5.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

-11.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$2.25 Rp 40.4K

-2.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

-4.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

-8.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$2.71 Rp 48.8K

-36.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

$1.05 Rp 18.9K

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,091

$0.46 Rp 8,194

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

-13.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.13 Rp 451.6K

$20.61 Rp 370.4K

21.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

$2.32 Rp 41.7K

-19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.5K

$3.17 Rp 57.0K

4.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 Rp 7,860

$0.30 Rp 5,326

46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.48 Rp 170.4K

$8.34 Rp 149.9K

13.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,592

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,615

$0.46 Rp 8,252

-32.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.45 Rp 44.0K

11.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

2.38%

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

$20.5K Rp 368.6M

$30.8K Rp 553.7M

-33.42%

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

$35.0K Rp 629.7M

$27.8K Rp 500.0M

25.95%

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$90.4 Rp 1.6M

-8.19%

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

$4.31 Rp 77.5K

$4.55 Rp 81.7K

-5.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.61 Rp 352.5K

$22.52 Rp 404.6K

-12.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.82 Rp 392.2K

$19.44 Rp 349.4K

12.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.59 Rp 82.6K

$11.53 Rp 207.3K

-60.19%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

$3.15 Rp 56.5K

-8.89%

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

$186 Rp 3.3M

$103 Rp 1.9M

79.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,556 Rp 171.7M

$7,952 Rp 142.9M

20.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$42.03 Rp 755.2K

49.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 Rp 698.2K

$30.54 Rp 548.8K

27.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

$72.3 Rp 1.3M

7.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

6.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.4M

$507 Rp 9.1M

-51.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 Rp 2.4M

$242 Rp 4.3M

-43.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 Rp 14.2M

$1,073 Rp 19.3M

-26.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 Rp 7.2M

$647 Rp 11.6M

-38.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 Rp 39.6M

$1,328 Rp 23.9M

65.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

$498 Rp 8.9M

110.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$274 Rp 4.9M

-1.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

9.59

-13.14%

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

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tangerang: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Surabaya versus $507 in Tangerang. 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 2% higher in Tangerang, 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 $19.00 in Tangerang. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Surabaya vs $217 in Tangerang – so Tangerang 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 Tangerang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $702 in Surabaya, $787 in Tangerang – roughly 12% apart. Tangerang costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,054 per month in Surabaya and $1,181 in Tangerang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Tangerang – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya and $19.00 in Tangerang. 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 $702 in Surabaya and $787 in Tangerang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Surabaya – 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 Surabaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tangerang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.