Cost of Living Comparison Between Surakarta and Butuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Surakarta and Butuan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $652 in Surakarta versus $725 in Butuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $991 in Surakarta versus $1,110 in Butuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,330 in Surakarta versus $1,494 in Butuan.

Living in Surakarta costs roughly 10% less than in Butuan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surakarta 51% lower, Butuan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

$4.40 ₱270

-65.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.08 Rp 218.0K

$15.63 ₱957

-22.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.05 Rp 55.1K

$2.45 ₱150

24.49%

Cappuccino

$1.72 Rp 31.1K

$1.68 ₱103

2.38%

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

$0.60 Rp 10.9K

$0.35 ₱21.69

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,483

$0.31 ₱19.01

-19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

$1.23 ₱75.1

45.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 Rp 52.1K

$1.74 ₱106

66.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.71 ₱104

-29.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 Rp 15.8K

$1.07 ₱65.6

-18.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

$0.93 ₱56.9

-18.28%

Eggs

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

$2.01 ₱123

-37.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 Rp 168.8K

$5.56 ₱340

68.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.86 Rp 51.7K

$3.74 ₱229

-23.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 Rp 132.2K

$7.45 ₱456

-1.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 41.6K

$1.38 ₱84.4

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.6K

$0.52 ₱31.81

182.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 Rp 38.2K

$0.85 ₱52.2

148.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.40 ₱85.7

-3.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.9K

$2.19 ₱134

-39.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 30.2K

$3.20 ₱196

-47.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$1.38 ₱84.6

-53.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,158

$0.52 ₱32.06

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 Rp 39.2K

$2.50 ₱153

-13.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 Rp 148.6K

$8.17 ₱500

0.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 33.0K

$0.72 ₱43.78

154.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 Rp 58.1K

$0.87 ₱53.1

270.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 Rp 8,102

$0.26 ₱15.86

73.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.09 Rp 182.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,523

$0.71 ₱43.62

-33.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,597

$0.23 ₱13.99

34.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 Rp 50.3K

$2.11 ₱129

31.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.14 ₱69.8

-27.19%

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

$21.1K Rp 380.8M

$22.3K ₱1.4M

-5.22%

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

$35.3K Rp 636.5M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

72.27%

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

$84.1 Rp 1.5M

$104 ₱6,362

-19.14%

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

$2.23 Rp 40.2K

$33.96 ₱2,079

-93.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.64 Rp 354.5K

$35.75 ₱2,188

-45.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.09 Rp 362.6K

$34.47 ₱2,110

-41.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 Rp 110.7K

$4.34 ₱266

41.24%

Cinema Ticket

$2.09 Rp 37.8K

$4.51 ₱276

-53.66%

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

$36.76 Rp 663.6K

$70.7 ₱4,325

-47.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,073 Rp 37.4M

$1,754 ₱107.3K

18.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$46.35 ₱2,837

35.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.17 Rp 689.1K

$9.65 ₱591

295.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 Rp 1.4M

$71.0 ₱4,346

8.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$68.4 ₱4,189

6.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 Rp 4.7M

$270 ₱16.5K

-3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 Rp 2.9M

$175 ₱10.7K

-8.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 Rp 10.7M

$592 ₱36.2K

0.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 Rp 6.1M

$390 ₱23.9K

-13.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$158 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

9.56

-12.87%

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

Last update for Surakarta: July 27, 2026

Last update for Butuan: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Surakarta and $270 in Butuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surakarta vs $16.00 in Butuan. Groceries flip the comparison at $176 vs $164, with Butuan cheaper for home cooking.

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 Butuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surakarta wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Butuan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Surakarta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $978 in Surakarta and $1,087 in Butuan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $261 in Surakarta versus $270 in Butuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.76 in Surakarta versus $70.7 in Butuan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Surakarta – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $16.00 in Butuan. 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 cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Surakarta and Butuan 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 11% less than in Butuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.