Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Tanjung Pinang Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Tanjung Pinang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $698 per month in Surabaya vs $694 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,123 per month in Surabaya vs $1,059 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,547 per month in Surabaya vs $1,425 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 1% more than Tanjung Pinang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surabaya and Tanjung Pinang are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 48% lower, Tanjung Pinang 48% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surabaya
Tanjung Pinang
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.52 Rp 27.1K
$3.59 Rp 64.0K
-57.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.15 Rp 216.5K
$12.05 Rp 214.7K
0.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.10 Rp 55.2K
$3.46 Rp 61.6K
-10.40%
Cappuccino
$1.80 Rp 32.2K
$1.64 Rp 29.2K
9.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 Rp 10.7K
$0.55 Rp 9,757
9.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 Rp 5,040
$0.28 Rp 5,049
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 Rp 43.0K
$2.45 Rp 43.6K
-1.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.95 Rp 70.4K
$3.60 Rp 64.1K
9.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surabaya
Tanjung Pinang
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 Rp 24.6K
$1.22 Rp 21.8K
13.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 Rp 25.7K
$1.12 Rp 19.9K
28.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.94 Rp 16.8K
$0.96 Rp 17.0K
-2.08%
Eggs
$1.46 Rp 26.0K
$1.38 Rp 24.7K
5.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 Rp 164.0K
$8.32 Rp 148.2K
10.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.22 Rp 57.4K
$3.15 Rp 56.1K
2.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.48 Rp 151.2K
$7.65 Rp 136.3K
10.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.37 Rp 42.2K
$2.31 Rp 41.1K
2.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 Rp 26.5K
$1.49 Rp 26.5K
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 Rp 38.6K
$1.82 Rp 32.4K
19.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 Rp 26.7K
$1.57 Rp 28.1K
-4.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 Rp 23.9K
$1.34 Rp 23.8K
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 Rp 31.6K
$1.95 Rp 34.8K
-9.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 Rp 21.3K
$0.89 Rp 15.8K
33.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 Rp 8,233
$0.41 Rp 7,360
12.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.46 Rp 43.9K
$1.96 Rp 34.9K
25.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$25.63 Rp 456.7K
$20.18 Rp 359.7K
27.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 Rp 31.6K
$2.08 Rp 37.1K
-14.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 Rp 57.1K
$3.08 Rp 54.8K
4.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Surabaya
Tanjung Pinang
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.47 Rp 8,378
$0.32 Rp 5,731
46.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.00 Rp 160.5K
$9.85 Rp 175.5K
-8.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,433
$0.57 Rp 10.1K
-17.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 Rp 5,135
$0.34 Rp 6,137
-14.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.70 Rp 48.2K
$2.93 Rp 52.3K
-7.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 Rp 15.3K
$0.71 Rp 12.7K
21.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K Rp 366.1M
$24.3K Rp 433.0M
-15.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K Rp 631.9M
$27.7K Rp 492.9M
28.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surabaya
Tanjung Pinang
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.2 Rp 1.5M
$68.5 Rp 1.2M
21.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.25 Rp 75.7K
$4.35 Rp 77.5K
-2.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.65 Rp 350.1K
$22.73 Rp 405.1K
-13.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surabaya
Tanjung Pinang
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.20 Rp 395.6K
$23.40 Rp 417.0K
-5.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.53 Rp 80.8K
$6.26 Rp 111.6K
-27.64%
Cinema Ticket
$2.89 Rp 51.4K
$2.54 Rp 45.3K
13.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surabaya
Tanjung Pinang
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$191 Rp 3.4M
$92.2 Rp 1.6M
107.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,339 Rp 166.4M
$7,445 Rp 132.7M
25.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surabaya
Tanjung Pinang
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.5 Rp 1.1M
$41.34 Rp 736.6K
48.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.25 Rp 681.7K
$31.24 Rp 556.8K
22.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.1 Rp 1.4M
$66.3 Rp 1.2M
16.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.0 Rp 1.5M
$72.5 Rp 1.3M
13.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surabaya
Tanjung Pinang
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$243 Rp 4.3M
$263 Rp 4.7M
-7.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$138 Rp 2.5M
$157 Rp 2.8M
-12.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$783 Rp 13.9M
$591 Rp 10.5M
32.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$394 Rp 7.0M
$330 Rp 5.9M
19.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,234 Rp 39.8M
$1,421 Rp 25.3M
57.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,072 Rp 19.1M
$672 Rp 12.0M
59.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surabaya
Tanjung Pinang
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$278 Rp 5.0M
$200 Rp 3.6M
38.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.33
6.5
28.15%

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

Last update for Surabaya: June 14, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Pinang: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $243 in Surabaya versus $263 in Tanjung Pinang. 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 39% 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 Tanjung Pinang. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Surabaya vs $205 in Tanjung Pinang – so Tanjung Pinang 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 Pinang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Surabaya and in Tanjung Pinang compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $698 in Surabaya, $694 in Tanjung Pinang – roughly 1% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Surabaya compared to Tanjung Pinang?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,047 per month in Surabaya and $1,041 in Tanjung Pinang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Surabaya and Tanjung Pinang?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tanjung Pinang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 11% more in Surabaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surabaya and $12.00 in Tanjung Pinang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How far does $800 go in Surabaya compared to Tanjung Pinang?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $698 in Surabaya and $694 in Tanjung Pinang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Surabaya or Tanjung Pinang?
Families tend to lean toward Tanjung Pinang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Surabaya and Tanjung Pinang?
If budget matters most, go with Tanjung Pinang. 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.

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