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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $708 per month in Surabaya vs $788 in Tangerang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,133 per month in Surabaya vs $1,285 in Tangerang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,557 per month in Surabaya vs $1,783 in Tangerang, rent included.

Surabaya is about 10% 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

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

-0.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.12 Rp 216.4K

$18.64 Rp 332.9K

-34.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

$3.44 Rp 61.4K

-9.01%

Cappuccino

$1.82 Rp 32.4K

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

6.43%

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

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

$0.56 Rp 9,957

7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,602

$0.28 Rp 5,047

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 43.0K

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

-11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 Rp 71.7K

$3.62 Rp 64.7K

11.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.23 Rp 21.9K

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

$1.10 Rp 19.6K

32.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

6.90%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

-5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

$9.36 Rp 167.1K

-3.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

$3.24 Rp 57.9K

1.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 Rp 151.0K

$7.90 Rp 141.1K

6.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 43.2K

$2.76 Rp 49.2K

-12.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.5K

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

3.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.2K

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

-4.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

-10.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$2.61 Rp 46.6K

-31.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

16.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,529

$0.46 Rp 8,203

-8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 Rp 45.4K

$2.72 Rp 48.5K

-6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.78 Rp 442.6K

$21.08 Rp 376.4K

17.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.5K

$2.22 Rp 39.7K

-20.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

$3.22 Rp 57.5K

-2.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$0.30 Rp 5,298

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.40 Rp 168.0K

$8.13 Rp 145.2K

15.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,919

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

-22.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,165

$0.46 Rp 8,234

-36.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 Rp 49.5K

$2.59 Rp 46.2K

6.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

5.00%

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

$20.6K Rp 368.5M

$30.7K Rp 548.5M

-32.81%

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

$35.8K Rp 639.4M

$27.6K Rp 492.0M

29.94%

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

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

$91.9 Rp 1.6M

-7.68%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.0K

$4.70 Rp 84.0K

-12.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.75 Rp 352.7K

$22.59 Rp 403.3K

-12.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.59 Rp 385.6K

$19.73 Rp 352.3K

9.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.57 Rp 81.6K

$11.60 Rp 207.2K

-60.60%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 Rp 50.9K

$3.09 Rp 55.2K

-7.77%

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

$188 Rp 3.3M

$104 Rp 1.9M

80.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,556 Rp 170.7M

$8,016 Rp 143.2M

19.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

$41.36 Rp 738.7K

48.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.56 Rp 688.5K

$30.67 Rp 547.8K

25.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

$70.4 Rp 1.3M

10.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

6.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 Rp 4.3M

$497 Rp 8.9M

-51.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$250 Rp 4.5M

-45.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 Rp 13.6M

$1,061 Rp 18.9M

-28.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 Rp 7.0M

$642 Rp 11.5M

-38.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,209 Rp 39.5M

$1,320 Rp 23.6M

67.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,067 Rp 19.0M

$514 Rp 9.2M

107.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$276 Rp 4.9M

$280 Rp 5.0M

-1.64%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tangerang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Surabaya versus $497 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 – $226 in Surabaya vs $219 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: $708 in Surabaya, $788 in Tangerang – roughly 11% apart. Tangerang costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,062 per month in Surabaya and $1,182 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 3% 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 $708 in Surabaya and $788 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.