Cost of Living Comparison Between Surakarta and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Surakarta and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $527 in Surakarta versus $645 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $849 in Surakarta versus $942 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,172 in Surakarta versus $1,239 in Bandung.

Living in Surakarta costs roughly 18% less than in Bandung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surakarta 62% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

18.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.67 Rp 206.6K

$14.00 Rp 247.9K

-16.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 Rp 55.7K

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

-6.27%

Cappuccino

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

2.58%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,756

$0.45 Rp 8,040

8.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,051

$0.23 Rp 4,043

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 Rp 25.3K

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

-55.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

-7.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

-17.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

-27.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

-12.50%

Eggs

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

-29.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 Rp 142.0K

$7.32 Rp 129.6K

9.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.75 Rp 30.9K

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

-38.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 Rp 94.8K

$8.24 Rp 145.9K

-35.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 Rp 37.4K

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

-7.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

13.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

30.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

53.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

-12.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$0.66 Rp 11.6K

-12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,247

$0.41 Rp 7,252

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 Rp 35.4K

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

-28.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 Rp 151.7K

$22.80 Rp 403.8K

-62.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 Rp 30.8K

$1.93 Rp 34.1K

-9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.6K

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

-12.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 Rp 6,862

$0.27 Rp 4,725

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.73 Rp 402.5K

$9.57 Rp 169.5K

137.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,109

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

-37.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,269

$0.55 Rp 9,759

-14.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

15.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

-6.41%

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

$25.4K Rp 450.5M

$21.2K Rp 375.9M

19.84%

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

$33.5K Rp 592.7M

$29.5K Rp 522.2M

13.51%

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

$81.3 Rp 1.4M

$33.79 Rp 598.3K

140.51%

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

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$4.39 Rp 77.7K

-53.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.91 Rp 334.8K

$19.60 Rp 347.0K

-3.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.12 Rp 285.5K

$18.96 Rp 335.7K

-14.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.56 Rp 151.6K

$5.92 Rp 104.9K

44.59%

Cinema Ticket

$2.00 Rp 35.5K

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

-30.56%

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

$33.61 Rp 595.2K

$93.8 Rp 1.7M

-64.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,873 Rp 33.2M

$8,255 Rp 146.2M

-77.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 Rp 1.0M

$39.76 Rp 704.0K

48.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.91 Rp 653.5K

$33.16 Rp 587.1K

11.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

-7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

$70.5 Rp 1.2M

-4.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$222 Rp 3.9M

-24.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.0 Rp 1.0M

$182 Rp 3.2M

-68.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 Rp 6.0M

$390 Rp 6.9M

-12.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 Rp 3.5M

$269 Rp 4.8M

-26.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$738 Rp 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$311 Rp 5.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$285 Rp 5.1M

-42.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

11.38

-34.09%

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

Last update for Surakarta: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bandung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $167 in Surakarta and $222 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 75% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surakarta vs $14.00 in Bandung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $197 per month, with Surakarta cheaper across the board.

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

Surakarta vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surakarta wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Surakarta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 75% lower in Bandung. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $167 in Surakarta versus $222 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Bandung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Surakarta – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $14.00 in Bandung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Surakarta gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Surakarta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $527 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Surakarta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Surakarta and Bandung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Surakarta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.