Cost of Living Comparison Between Surakarta and Gwalior Cost of Living Comparison Between Surakarta and Gwalior

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $652 in Surakarta versus $370 in Gwalior.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,001 in Surakarta versus $581 in Gwalior.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,351 in Surakarta versus $793 in Gwalior.

Living in Surakarta is roughly 76% more expensive than in Gwalior, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surakarta 51% lower, Gwalior 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$2.05 ₹198

-23.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.42 Rp 222.8K

$11.54 ₹1,111

7.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.10 Rp 55.5K

$3.19 ₹307

-2.82%

Cappuccino

$1.66 Rp 29.8K

$1.47 ₹142

12.93%

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

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.27 ₹25.99

107.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,881

$0.16 ₹15.86

68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.55 ₹150

15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 Rp 53.5K

$2.25 ₹217

32.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

$0.72 ₹69.0

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.42 ₹40.60

95.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$0.70 ₹67.5

7.14%

Eggs

$1.23 Rp 22.1K

$0.96 ₹92.5

28.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 Rp 168.2K

$4.97 ₹478

88.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 Rp 51.5K

$2.88 ₹278

-0.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.20 Rp 129.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

$1.45 ₹139

58.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

$0.59 ₹56.8

150.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$0.74 ₹71.6

197.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

$0.52 ₹49.64

161.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

$0.28 ₹26.90

389.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 29.5K

$0.40 ₹38.45

310.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

$0.67 ₹64.8

-7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,581

$0.31 ₹30.27

35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 Rp 38.3K

$3.99 ₹384

-46.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 Rp 149.2K

$8.33 ₹802

-0.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 33.2K

$1.67 ₹161

10.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 Rp 58.4K

$3.60 ₹346

-9.72%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.58 ₹537

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 Rp 7,387

$0.22 ₹21.04

86.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.85 Rp 176.7K

$3.84 ₹370

156.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,032

$0.60 ₹57.6

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,626

$0.18 ₹17.10

72.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 Rp 49.7K

$1.15 ₹111

140.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.13 ₹109

-30.97%

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

$21.1K Rp 378.5M

$11.6K ₹1.1M

81.59%

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

$35.7K Rp 640.8M

$16.5K ₹1.6M

116.47%

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

$84.6 Rp 1.5M

$51.2 ₹4,925

65.36%

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

$2.28 Rp 41.0K

$3.24 ₹312

-29.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.55 Rp 350.6K

$5.45 ₹525

258.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.94 Rp 357.7K

$12.94 ₹1,245

54.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.32 Rp 113.4K

$7.22 ₹695

-12.47%

Cinema Ticket

$2.21 Rp 39.6K

$4.15 ₹400

-46.75%

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

$36.42 Rp 653.3K

$36.92 ₹3,554

-1.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,102 Rp 37.7M

$845 ₹81.3K

148.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

$27.20 ₹2,619

124.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.66 Rp 693.5K

$31.51 ₹3,034

22.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$40.11 ₹3,862

93.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

$18.27 ₹1,759

300.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 Rp 4.6M

$111 ₹10.7K

129.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 Rp 2.9M

$73.6 ₹7,085

118.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 Rp 10.4M

$200 ₹19.2K

190.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 Rp 5.9M

$142 ₹13.6K

131.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$584 ₹56.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$319 ₹30.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$157 Rp 2.8M

$531 ₹51.1K

-70.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

8.49

-1.88%

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

Last update for Surakarta: July 13, 2026

Last update for Gwalior: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $254 in Surakarta and $111 in Gwalior. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwalior pays 238% 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 $12.00 in Gwalior. Groceries flip the comparison at $176 vs $104, with Gwalior 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 Gwalior: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gwalior wins on cost – living expenses run 76% lower than in Surakarta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gwalior the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 238% lower in Gwalior. 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: $254 in Surakarta versus $111 in Gwalior. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $652 per month in Surakarta versus $370 in Gwalior – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gwalior runs roughly 157% less than in Surakarta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Gwalior 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.

Expats usually find Gwalior gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Surakarta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.