Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Tanjung Balai Karimun Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Tanjung Balai Karimun

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $676 per month in Surabaya vs $641 in Tanjung Balai Karimun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Surabaya vs $1,009 in Tanjung Balai Karimun, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,728 per month in Surabaya vs $1,377 in Tanjung Balai Karimun, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 6% more than Tanjung Balai Karimun, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$1.71 Rp 30.3K

1.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

$13.98 Rp 247.5K

-17.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

$3.26 Rp 57.6K

-0.31%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

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

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

$0.42 Rp 7,476

47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,554

$0.23 Rp 4,047

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$2.41 Rp 42.7K

-7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

$3.83 Rp 67.8K

13.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

25.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

36.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

23.29%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

-26.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$8.12 Rp 143.8K

-6.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$2.62 Rp 46.4K

17.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

$7.00 Rp 123.9K

8.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

-8.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$1.46 Rp 25.9K

-12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.79 Rp 31.6K

7.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

37.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

-8.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$1.71 Rp 30.4K

18.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,186

$0.46 Rp 8,082

-10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$2.65 Rp 46.9K

-27.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

$21.67 Rp 383.7K

16.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

-12.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$3.32 Rp 58.8K

-12.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$0.30 Rp 5,304

10.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,236

$0.49 Rp 8,611

6.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,630

$0.35 Rp 6,132

22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

$2.49 Rp 44.2K

10.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

-4.94%

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

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

$23.5K Rp 416.5M

5.45%

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

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

$29.7K Rp 525.9M

9.40%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$63.5 Rp 1.1M

36.48%

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

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

$4.11 Rp 72.8K

13.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

$22.22 Rp 393.4K

-12.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

$21.70 Rp 384.3K

-13.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

$7.69 Rp 136.2K

-9.49%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$2.61 Rp 46.2K

3.45%

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

$283 Rp 5.0M

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

197.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

$8,545 Rp 151.3M

15.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$41.76 Rp 739.4K

72.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

$27.37 Rp 484.7K

46.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$74.1 Rp 1.3M

12.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$74.7 Rp 1.3M

1.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$232 Rp 4.1M

21.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$159 Rp 2.8M

-5.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

$582 Rp 10.3M

115.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 Rp 11.0M

$407 Rp 7.2M

52.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

$1,101 Rp 19.5M

101.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

$602 Rp 10.7M

77.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

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 Tanjung Balai Karimun: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Surabaya versus $232 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya versus $14.00 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Groceries tell a different story – $211 in Surabaya vs $197 in Tanjung Balai Karimun – so Tanjung Balai Karimun 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 Tanjung Balai Karimun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $676 in Surabaya, $641 in Tanjung Balai Karimun – roughly 6% 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 $962 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tanjung Balai Karimun, 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 $641 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $283 per month in Surabaya and $95.1 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. 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 $641 in Tanjung Balai Karimun, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Tanjung Balai Karimun – 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 Tanjung Balai Karimun. 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.