Cost of Living Comparison Between Tangerang and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Tangerang and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $787 per month in Tangerang vs $702 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,290 per month in Tangerang vs $1,117 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,794 per month in Tangerang vs $1,532 in Surabaya, rent included.

Tangerang costs about 12% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tangerang and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Tangerang 41% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

-0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.76 Rp 337.1K

$12.11 Rp 217.6K

54.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.49 Rp 62.7K

$3.05 Rp 54.9K

14.43%

Cappuccino

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

-3.89%

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

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

-10.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,642

$0.28 Rp 5,048

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.40 Rp 43.2K

13.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 Rp 63.0K

$4.09 Rp 73.5K

-14.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

Eggs

$1.60 Rp 28.7K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 Rp 167.9K

$9.24 Rp 166.1K

1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 Rp 56.1K

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

-2.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 Rp 138.2K

$8.13 Rp 146.0K

-5.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

13.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-7.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.4K

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

2.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

4.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

9.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.8K

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

56.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.9K

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,194

$0.45 Rp 8,091

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

15.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.61 Rp 370.4K

$25.13 Rp 451.6K

-17.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 Rp 41.7K

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 57.0K

$3.31 Rp 59.5K

-4.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,326

$0.44 Rp 7,860

-31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.34 Rp 149.9K

$9.48 Rp 170.4K

-12.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

$0.48 Rp 8,592

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,252

$0.31 Rp 5,615

48.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 Rp 44.0K

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

-10.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

-2.33%

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

$30.8K Rp 553.7M

$20.5K Rp 368.6M

50.21%

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

$27.8K Rp 500.0M

$35.0K Rp 629.7M

-20.60%

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

$90.4 Rp 1.6M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

8.92%

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

$4.55 Rp 81.7K

$4.31 Rp 77.5K

5.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.52 Rp 404.6K

$19.61 Rp 352.5K

14.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.44 Rp 349.4K

$21.82 Rp 392.2K

-10.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.53 Rp 207.3K

$4.59 Rp 82.6K

151.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.15 Rp 56.5K

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

9.76%

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

$103 Rp 1.9M

$186 Rp 3.3M

-44.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,952 Rp 142.9M

$9,556 Rp 171.7M

-16.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.03 Rp 755.2K

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-33.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.54 Rp 548.8K

$38.85 Rp 698.2K

-21.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 Rp 1.3M

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

-7.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

-6.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 Rp 9.1M

$244 Rp 4.4M

107.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 Rp 4.3M

$136 Rp 2.4M

77.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 Rp 19.3M

$792 Rp 14.2M

35.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 Rp 11.6M

$399 Rp 7.2M

62.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,328 Rp 23.9M

$2,202 Rp 39.6M

-39.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$498 Rp 8.9M

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

-52.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$274 Rp 4.9M

$269 Rp 4.8M

1.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

8.33

15.13%

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

Last update for Tangerang: July 13, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Tangerang versus $244 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 2% higher in Tangerang, 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 $19.00 in Tangerang versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Tangerang vs $228 in Surabaya – so Tangerang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Tangerang vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $787 in Tangerang, $702 in Surabaya – roughly 12% apart. Tangerang costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,181 per month in Tangerang and $1,054 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Tangerang – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Tangerang 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 $787 in Tangerang and $702 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Surabaya – 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 Surabaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tangerang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.