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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $676 per month in Surabaya vs $648 in Tangerang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Surabaya vs $1,091 in Tangerang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,728 per month in Surabaya vs $1,534 in Tangerang, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 4% more than Tangerang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surabaya and Tangerang are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 51% lower, Tangerang 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

25.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

$15.52 Rp 274.8K

-25.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

$3.46 Rp 61.2K

-6.07%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$1.51 Rp 26.7K

4.64%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.46 Rp 8,158

34.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,554

$0.24 Rp 4,207

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$2.70 Rp 47.9K

-17.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

$3.20 Rp 56.6K

36.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.14 Rp 20.1K

11.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

26.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.85 Rp 15.0K

5.88%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.45 Rp 25.6K

-15.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$9.83 Rp 174.1K

-22.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$2.89 Rp 51.3K

6.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

$7.70 Rp 136.4K

-1.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$2.24 Rp 39.6K

-5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

19.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

22.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$0.95 Rp 16.9K

65.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$1.06 Rp 18.8K

26.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$2.18 Rp 38.5K

-6.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.70 Rp 12.3K

41.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,186

$0.45 Rp 7,888

-8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$2.88 Rp 51.0K

-33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

$21.34 Rp 377.8K

18.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$2.10 Rp 37.2K

-15.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

-7.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$0.27 Rp 4,746

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.39 Rp 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,236

$0.53 Rp 9,320

-1.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,630

$0.36 Rp 6,304

19.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

$3.18 Rp 56.4K

-13.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.77 Rp 13.5K

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

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

$22.0K Rp 388.9M

12.92%

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

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

$28.6K Rp 506.4M

13.62%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$71.5 Rp 1.3M

21.14%

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

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

$4.99 Rp 88.4K

-6.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

$19.11 Rp 338.3K

1.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

$15.95 Rp 282.4K

17.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

$17.72 Rp 313.9K

-60.72%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$2.90 Rp 51.3K

-6.90%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$95.6 Rp 1.7M

195.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

$8,164 Rp 144.6M

20.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$40.43 Rp 715.9K

77.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

$29.27 Rp 518.2K

37.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$73.5 Rp 1.3M

12.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$72.6 Rp 1.3M

4.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$379 Rp 6.7M

-25.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$165 Rp 2.9M

-9.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

$744 Rp 13.2M

68.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$497 Rp 8.8M

24.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

$1,180 Rp 20.9M

88.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

$556 Rp 9.8M

92.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$286 Rp 5.1M

-3.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

9.46

-20.72%

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

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Last update for Tangerang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Surabaya versus $379 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 3% higher in Tangerang, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya versus $16.00 in Tangerang. Groceries tell a different story – $211 in Surabaya vs $202 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: $676 in Surabaya, $648 in Tangerang – roughly 4% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Surabaya and $972 in Tangerang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tangerang, 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 $648 in Tangerang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $283 per month in Surabaya and $95.6 in Tangerang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $676 in Surabaya and $648 in Tangerang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Tangerang – 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 Tangerang. 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.