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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $527 per month in Surakarta vs $676 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $849 per month in Surakarta vs $1,202 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,172 per month in Surakarta vs $1,728 in Surabaya, rent included.

Surakarta is about 22% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surakarta and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Surakarta 62% lower, Surabaya 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

-4.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.67 Rp 206.6K

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 Rp 55.7K

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

-3.38%

Cappuccino

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

0.63%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,756

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

-20.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,051

$0.26 Rp 4,554

-11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 Rp 25.3K

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

-35.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

-33.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-28.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

-42.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

-14.44%

Eggs

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

-17.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 Rp 142.0K

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

5.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.75 Rp 30.9K

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

-43.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 Rp 94.8K

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

-29.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 Rp 37.4K

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

-0.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

-0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

-7.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

-17.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

-41.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,247

$0.41 Rp 7,186

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 Rp 35.4K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 Rp 151.7K

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

-66.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 Rp 30.8K

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.6K

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 Rp 6,862

$0.33 Rp 5,825

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.73 Rp 402.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,109

$0.52 Rp 9,236

-1.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,269

$0.43 Rp 7,630

9.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

-2.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-5.19%

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

$25.4K Rp 450.5M

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

2.57%

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

$33.5K Rp 592.7M

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

3.02%

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

$81.3 Rp 1.4M

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

-6.20%

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

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

-55.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.91 Rp 334.8K

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

-2.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.12 Rp 285.5K

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

-13.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.56 Rp 151.6K

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

22.99%

Cinema Ticket

$2.00 Rp 35.5K

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

-25.93%

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

$33.61 Rp 595.2K

$283 Rp 5.0M

-88.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,873 Rp 33.2M

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

-81.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 Rp 1.0M

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

-17.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.91 Rp 653.5K

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

-8.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

-11.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$282 Rp 5.0M

-40.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.0 Rp 1.0M

$150 Rp 2.7M

-62.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 Rp 6.0M

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

-72.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 Rp 3.5M

$619 Rp 11.0M

-68.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$277 Rp 4.9M

-41.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

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

Last update for Surakarta: September 15, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $167 in Surakarta versus $282 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: $152 vs $211 – 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: $527 in Surakarta, $676 in Surabaya – roughly 28% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $790 per month in Surakarta and $1,015 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $527 in Surakarta and $676 in Surabaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $33.61 per month in Surakarta and $283 in Surabaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $527 in Surakarta and $676 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.