Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Timika Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Timika

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $702 per month in Surabaya vs $654 in Timika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,129 per month in Surabaya vs $1,006 in Timika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,557 per month in Surabaya vs $1,359 in Timika, rent included.

Surabaya costs about 7% more than Timika, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surabaya and Timika are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 47% lower, Timika 51% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surabaya
Timika
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.56 Rp 28.3K
$1.55 Rp 28.1K
0.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.42 Rp 224.6K
$12.09 Rp 218.5K
2.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.03 Rp 54.7K
$3.32 Rp 60.1K
-8.73%
Cappuccino
$1.76 Rp 31.7K
$1.65 Rp 29.8K
6.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 Rp 11.9K
$0.51 Rp 9,212
29.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 Rp 5,104
$0.28 Rp 5,125
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.44 Rp 44.1K
$2.40 Rp 43.4K
1.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09 Rp 73.9K
$3.54 Rp 64.0K
15.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surabaya
Timika
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 Rp 26.0K
$1.18 Rp 21.3K
22.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 Rp 27.4K
$1.17 Rp 21.2K
29.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.98 Rp 17.7K
$0.93 Rp 16.8K
5.38%
Eggs
$1.51 Rp 27.3K
$1.58 Rp 28.5K
-4.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.28 Rp 167.7K
$7.97 Rp 144.2K
16.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.24 Rp 58.5K
$3.14 Rp 56.8K
3.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.13 Rp 147.0K
$7.82 Rp 141.3K
3.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.38 Rp 43.0K
$2.37 Rp 42.9K
0.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 Rp 27.2K
$1.51 Rp 27.3K
-0.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 Rp 39.5K
$1.80 Rp 32.6K
21.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.42 Rp 25.6K
$1.55 Rp 28.0K
-8.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 Rp 23.8K
$1.38 Rp 24.9K
-4.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.73 Rp 31.2K
$1.91 Rp 34.5K
-9.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 Rp 20.7K
$0.90 Rp 16.3K
27.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 Rp 8,242
$0.45 Rp 8,091
2.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.52 Rp 45.6K
$2.46 Rp 44.4K
2.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$25.18 Rp 455.2K
$19.41 Rp 351.0K
29.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 Rp 32.2K
$2.11 Rp 38.1K
-15.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 Rp 59.6K
$3.06 Rp 55.4K
7.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Surabaya
Timika
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.44 Rp 8,044
$0.30 Rp 5,365
46.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.26 Rp 167.5K
$9.72 Rp 175.8K
-4.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 8,128
$0.57 Rp 10.2K
-21.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 Rp 5,643
$0.37 Rp 6,779
-16.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.74 Rp 49.6K
$2.90 Rp 52.4K
-5.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.87 Rp 15.6K
$0.83 Rp 15.1K
4.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.8K Rp 375.4M
$24.6K Rp 444.8M
-15.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.9K Rp 630.2M
$28.0K Rp 506.2M
24.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surabaya
Timika
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
$69.6 Rp 1.3M
19.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.19 Rp 75.7K
$4.34 Rp 78.5K
-3.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.44 Rp 351.5K
$22.55 Rp 407.8K
-13.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surabaya
Timika
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$21.63 Rp 391.0K
$23.18 Rp 419.2K
-6.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.38 Rp 79.2K
$6.20 Rp 112.1K
-29.35%
Cinema Ticket
$2.98 Rp 54.0K
$3.02 Rp 54.6K
-1.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surabaya
Timika
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$186 Rp 3.4M
$93.3 Rp 1.7M
99.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,266 Rp 167.5M
$7,621 Rp 137.8M
21.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surabaya
Timika
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 Rp 1.1M
$41.17 Rp 744.4K
52.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.49 Rp 696.0K
$30.46 Rp 550.7K
26.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.9 Rp 1.4M
$67.2 Rp 1.2M
14.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8 Rp 1.5M
$72.5 Rp 1.3M
15.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surabaya
Timika
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$249 Rp 4.5M
$260 Rp 4.7M
-4.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$138 Rp 2.5M
$158 Rp 2.9M
-12.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$775 Rp 14.0M
$594 Rp 10.7M
30.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$392 Rp 7.1M
$332 Rp 6.0M
18.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,136 Rp 38.6M
$1,194 Rp 21.6M
78.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,064 Rp 19.2M
$709 Rp 12.8M
50.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surabaya
Timika
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$269 Rp 4.9M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.33
9.15
-8.96%

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

Last update for Surabaya: July 27, 2026

Last update for Timika: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $249 in Surabaya versus $260 in Timika. 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 $12.00 in Timika. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Surabaya vs $205 in Timika – so Timika 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 Timika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Surabaya and in Timika compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $702 in Surabaya, $654 in Timika – roughly 7% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Surabaya compared to Timika?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,053 per month in Surabaya and $982 in Timika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Surabaya and Timika?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Timika, 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 Timika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How far does $1,000 go in Surabaya compared to Timika?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $702 in Surabaya and $654 in Timika, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Surabaya or Timika?
Families tend to lean toward Timika – 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 Timika?
If budget matters most, go with Timika. 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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