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: $660 in Surakarta versus $716 in Butuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $999 in Surakarta versus $1,101 in Butuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,339 in Surakarta versus $1,486 in Butuan.

Living in Surakarta costs roughly 8% less than in Butuan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surakarta 51% lower, Butuan 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.50 Rp 25.9K

$4.31 ₱264

-65.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.10 Rp 209.0K

$15.88 ₱971

-23.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.16 Rp 54.5K

$2.46 ₱150

28.46%

Cappuccino

$1.65 Rp 28.4K

$1.68 ₱103

-1.79%

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

$0.60 Rp 10.4K

$0.36 ₱21.81

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,703

$0.29 ₱17.63

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 Rp 31.9K

$1.17 ₱71.7

58.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 49.1K

$1.73 ₱106

64.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Rp 19.8K

$1.73 ₱106

-33.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 Rp 15.6K

$1.08 ₱66.0

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 12.9K

$0.99 ₱60.7

-24.24%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 21.3K

$2.02 ₱123

-39.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 Rp 155.2K

$5.81 ₱355

54.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.89 Rp 50.0K

$3.64 ₱223

-20.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 Rp 125.5K

$7.13 ₱436

1.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 Rp 41.5K

$1.39 ₱85.3

72.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 26.6K

$0.55 ₱33.69

180.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 36.5K

$0.93 ₱57.0

127.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 24.1K

$1.35 ₱82.5

2.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 23.7K

$2.21 ₱135

-38.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 Rp 28.5K

$3.15 ₱193

-47.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 Rp 10.7K

$1.33 ₱81.1

-53.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 7,868

$0.52 ₱31.97

-11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 37.6K

$2.52 ₱154

-13.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 Rp 153.0K

$8.34 ₱510

6.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 Rp 30.7K

$0.75 ₱46.08

137.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 54.4K

$0.92 ₱56.5

242.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 Rp 7,728

$0.28 ₱17.30

60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.08 Rp 174.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,613

$0.70 ₱42.98

-37.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 4,983

$0.23 ₱14.01

26.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.08 ₱127

29.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$1.14 ₱69.7

-32.46%

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

$20.8K Rp 358.3M

$22.2K ₱1.4M

-6.49%

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

$35.1K Rp 606.6M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

71.61%

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

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

$106 ₱6,506

-20.21%

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

$2.22 Rp 38.4K

$34.42 ₱2,106

-93.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.77 Rp 341.3K

$36.26 ₱2,218

-45.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.77 Rp 341.3K

$34.19 ₱2,092

-42.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 Rp 103.6K

$4.46 ₱273

34.53%

Cinema Ticket

$2.21 Rp 38.2K

$4.38 ₱268

-49.54%

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

$37.42 Rp 646.0K

$71.5 ₱4,373

-47.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,046 Rp 35.3M

$1,769 ₱108.2K

15.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 Rp 1.1M

$44.89 ₱2,746

38.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.19 Rp 659.4K

$10.06 ₱616

279.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 Rp 1.3M

$71.9 ₱4,397

8.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 Rp 1.2M

$69.5 ₱4,250

2.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.5M

$265 ₱16.2K

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.7M

$179 ₱11.0K

-13.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 Rp 10.0M

$586 ₱35.8K

-0.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 Rp 5.7M

$389 ₱23.8K

-14.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,041 ₱124.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 2.8M

$106 ₱6,460

55.13%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Butuan: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Surakarta and $265 in Butuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surakarta pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Surakarta vs $16.00 in Butuan. Groceries flip the comparison at $177 vs $165, 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 8% 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.

Surakarta pays 55% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $262 in Surakarta versus $265 in Butuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $37.42 in Surakarta versus $71.5 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 8% less than in Butuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.