Cost of Living Comparison Between Surakarta and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Surakarta and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Surakarta vs $702 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $991 per month in Surakarta vs $1,129 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,330 per month in Surakarta vs $1,557 in Surabaya, rent included.

Surakarta is about 7% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surakarta and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Surakarta 51% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

-3.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.08 Rp 218.0K

$12.42 Rp 224.2K

-2.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.05 Rp 55.1K

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

0.66%

Cappuccino

$1.72 Rp 31.1K

$1.76 Rp 31.7K

-2.27%

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

$0.60 Rp 10.9K

$0.66 Rp 11.9K

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,483

$0.28 Rp 5,096

-10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

$2.44 Rp 44.1K

-26.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 Rp 52.1K

$4.09 Rp 73.8K

-29.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.44 Rp 25.9K

-15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 Rp 15.8K

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

-42.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

-22.45%

Eggs

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

-17.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 Rp 168.8K

$9.28 Rp 167.5K

0.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.86 Rp 51.7K

$3.24 Rp 58.5K

-11.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 Rp 132.2K

$8.13 Rp 146.7K

-9.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 41.6K

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

-3.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.6K

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

-2.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 Rp 38.2K

$2.18 Rp 39.4K

-3.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

-4.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.9K

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 30.2K

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

-2.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

-44.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,158

$0.46 Rp 8,229

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 Rp 39.2K

$2.52 Rp 45.6K

-13.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 Rp 148.6K

$25.18 Rp 454.5K

-67.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 33.0K

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 Rp 58.1K

$3.30 Rp 59.5K

-2.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 Rp 8,102

$0.44 Rp 8,032

2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.09 Rp 182.2K

$9.26 Rp 167.2K

8.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,523

$0.45 Rp 8,115

4.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,597

$0.31 Rp 5,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 Rp 50.3K

$2.74 Rp 49.5K

1.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

-4.60%

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

$21.1K Rp 380.8M

$20.8K Rp 374.8M

1.62%

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

$35.3K Rp 636.5M

$34.9K Rp 629.2M

1.17%

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

$84.1 Rp 1.5M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

1.29%

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

$2.23 Rp 40.2K

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

-46.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.64 Rp 354.5K

$19.44 Rp 350.9K

1.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.09 Rp 362.6K

$21.63 Rp 390.4K

-7.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 Rp 110.7K

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

39.95%

Cinema Ticket

$2.09 Rp 37.8K

$2.98 Rp 53.9K

-29.87%

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

$36.76 Rp 663.6K

$186 Rp 3.4M

-80.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,073 Rp 37.4M

$9,266 Rp 167.3M

-77.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.17 Rp 689.1K

$38.49 Rp 694.9K

-0.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 Rp 1.4M

$76.9 Rp 1.4M

0.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

-13.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 Rp 4.7M

$249 Rp 4.5M

4.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 Rp 2.9M

$138 Rp 2.5M

16.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 Rp 10.7M

$775 Rp 14.0M

-23.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 Rp 6.1M

$392 Rp 7.1M

-13.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,136 Rp 38.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 Rp 19.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$158 Rp 2.9M

$269 Rp 4.9M

-41.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

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

Last update for Surakarta: July 27, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $261 in Surakarta versus $249 in Surabaya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 70% higher in Surabaya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surakarta versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $228 – making Surakarta 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

Surakarta vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $652 in Surakarta, $702 in Surabaya – roughly 8% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $978 per month in Surakarta and $1,053 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surakarta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Surabaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Surakarta and $12.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $652 in Surakarta and $702 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Surakarta – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Surakarta. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surabaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.