Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Uluwatu, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Uluwatu, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $702 per month in Surabaya vs $1,759 in Uluwatu, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,117 per month in Surabaya vs $3,176 in Uluwatu, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,532 per month in Surabaya vs $4,593 in Uluwatu, Bali, rent included.

Surabaya is about 60% cheaper than Uluwatu, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Surabaya sits 47% below the global median, while Uluwatu, Bali is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surabaya
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.58 Rp 28.4K
$4.27 Rp 76.7K
-63.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.11 Rp 217.6K
$39.90 Rp 717.1K
-69.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.05 Rp 54.9K
$6.16 Rp 110.6K
-50.49%
Cappuccino
$1.80 Rp 32.4K
$3.29 Rp 59.0K
-45.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 Rp 11.5K
$1.62 Rp 29.2K
-60.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 Rp 5,048
$0.89 Rp 15.9K
-68.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.40 Rp 43.2K
$3.53 Rp 63.5K
-32.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09 Rp 73.5K
$4.76 Rp 85.5K
-14.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surabaya
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 Rp 24.7K
$1.87 Rp 33.7K
-26.20%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 Rp 26.9K
$2.63 Rp 47.3K
-42.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.94 Rp 17.0K
$1.27 Rp 22.8K
-25.98%
Eggs
$1.50 Rp 26.9K
$2.57 Rp 46.1K
-41.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.24 Rp 166.1K
$15.13 Rp 271.9K
-38.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.19 Rp 57.3K
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
-27.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.13 Rp 146.0K
$12.43 Rp 223.3K
-34.59%
Apples (1kg)
$2.41 Rp 43.3K
$3.96 Rp 71.2K
-39.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 Rp 28.1K
$1.63 Rp 29.3K
-4.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 Rp 39.5K
$2.90 Rp 52.1K
-24.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 Rp 27.0K
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
-36.17%
Potato (1kg)
$1.33 Rp 23.8K
$2.00 Rp 36.0K
-33.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.73 Rp 31.1K
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
-24.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 Rp 21.4K
$1.08 Rp 19.4K
10.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 Rp 8,091
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
-44.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.45 Rp 44.1K
$3.28 Rp 59.0K
-25.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$25.13 Rp 451.6K
$24.45 Rp 439.4K
2.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 Rp 33.5K
$2.89 Rp 52.0K
-35.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 Rp 59.5K
$2.87 Rp 51.6K
15.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Surabaya
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.44 Rp 7,860
$0.36 Rp 6,518
22.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.48 Rp 170.4K
$10.28 Rp 184.8K
-7.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,592
$0.57 Rp 10.2K
-15.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 Rp 5,615
$0.57 Rp 10.2K
-45.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
$7.63 Rp 137.0K
-64.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 Rp 15.4K
$1.06 Rp 19.0K
-18.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K Rp 368.6M
$32.2K Rp 578.0M
-36.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K Rp 629.7M
$40.3K Rp 723.6M
-12.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surabaya
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
$88.2 Rp 1.6M
-5.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.31 Rp 77.5K
$4.47 Rp 80.4K
-3.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.61 Rp 352.5K
$26.05 Rp 468.2K
-24.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surabaya
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$21.82 Rp 392.2K
$115 Rp 2.1M
-81.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.59 Rp 82.6K
$7.75 Rp 139.3K
-40.77%
Cinema Ticket
$2.87 Rp 51.7K
$4.70 Rp 84.5K
-38.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surabaya
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$186 Rp 3.3M
$339 Rp 6.1M
-45.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,556 Rp 171.7M
$7,595 Rp 136.5M
25.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surabaya
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 Rp 1.1M
$60.8 Rp 1.1M
3.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.85 Rp 698.2K
$42.63 Rp 766.1K
-8.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.8 Rp 1.4M
$97.9 Rp 1.8M
-20.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.1 Rp 1.5M
$86.1 Rp 1.5M
-3.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surabaya
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$244 Rp 4.4M
$1,369 Rp 24.6M
-82.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$136 Rp 2.4M
$920 Rp 16.5M
-85.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$792 Rp 14.2M
$4,495 Rp 80.8M
-82.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$399 Rp 7.2M
$2,803 Rp 50.4M
-85.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,202 Rp 39.6M
$3,751 Rp 67.4M
-41.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,045 Rp 18.8M
$3,040 Rp 54.6M
-65.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surabaya
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$269 Rp 4.8M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.33
13.28
-37.27%

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

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Last update for Uluwatu, Bali: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Surabaya versus $1,369 in Uluwatu, Bali. 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 $40.00 in Uluwatu, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $312 – making Surabaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Uluwatu, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Surabaya and in Uluwatu, Bali compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $702 in Surabaya, $1,759 in Uluwatu, Bali – roughly 150% apart. Uluwatu, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Surabaya compared to Uluwatu, Bali?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,054 per month in Surabaya and $2,638 in Uluwatu, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Surabaya and Uluwatu, Bali?
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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 37% more in Uluwatu, Bali, 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 $40.00 in Uluwatu, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surabaya, where all-in costs run around $702, than in Uluwatu, Bali at $1,759. In Surabaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uluwatu, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Surabaya and Uluwatu, Bali?
It depends on your priorities. Uluwatu, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $702 in Surabaya to $1,759 in Uluwatu, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Surabaya or Uluwatu, Bali safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Surabaya and Uluwatu, Bali?
If budget matters most, go with Surabaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Uluwatu, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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