Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tangerang and Surabaya

For one person, living is cheaper in Tangerang: $618 a month against $677 in Surabaya, rent and utilities included – about $710 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tangerang
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$618
/mo nomad
Surabaya
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$677
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tangerang and in Surabaya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tangerang and in Surabaya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $618 per month in Tangerang vs $677 in Surabaya, rent included.

  • Tangerang $618
  • Surabaya $677

A couple spends around $1,054 per month in Tangerang vs $1,179 in Surabaya, rent included.

  • Tangerang $1,054
  • Surabaya $1,179

A family of three spends $1,491 per month in Tangerang vs $1,680 in Surabaya, rent included.

  • Tangerang $1,491
  • Surabaya $1,680

Tangerang is about 9% cheaper than Surabaya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Tangerang and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Tangerang 54% lower, Surabaya 50% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tangerang
Surabaya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.38 Rp 24.9K
$1.69 Rp 30.4K
-18.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.07 Rp 253.2K
$11.35 Rp 204.3K
23.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.39 Rp 61.0K
$3.15 Rp 56.6K
7.62%
Cappuccino
$1.49 Rp 26.8K
$1.55 Rp 28.0K
-3.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 Rp 7,825
$0.56 Rp 10.2K
-23.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 Rp 4,295
$0.28 Rp 5,078
-14.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 Rp 45.9K
$2.17 Rp 39.0K
17.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 Rp 55.8K
$4.12 Rp 74.2K
-24.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tangerang
Surabaya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Rp 20.7K
$1.26 Rp 22.8K
-8.73%
White Bread (500g)
$1.03 Rp 18.5K
$1.28 Rp 23.1K
-19.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
-5.68%
Eggs
$1.41 Rp 25.4K
$1.20 Rp 21.7K
17.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.48 Rp 170.7K
$7.53 Rp 135.5K
25.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.89 Rp 52.1K
$3.05 Rp 54.8K
-5.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.87 Rp 141.7K
$7.42 Rp 133.6K
6.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.25 Rp 40.4K
$2.08 Rp 37.4K
8.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 Rp 20.0K
$1.24 Rp 22.4K
-10.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.61 Rp 28.9K
$1.88 Rp 33.8K
-14.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.93 Rp 16.8K
$1.56 Rp 28.1K
-40.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 Rp 19.5K
$1.37 Rp 24.6K
-21.17%
Onion (1kg)
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
$1.98 Rp 35.7K
8.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 Rp 11.6K
$0.89 Rp 16.0K
-26.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 Rp 7,887
$0.40 Rp 7,119
10.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.81 Rp 50.6K
$1.91 Rp 34.4K
47.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.44 Rp 385.9K
$24.93 Rp 448.7K
-14.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07 Rp 37.2K
$1.68 Rp 30.3K
23.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 Rp 55.3K
$2.96 Rp 53.3K
3.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Tangerang
Surabaya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,256
$0.32 Rp 5,704
-9.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.25 Rp 148.5K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.49 Rp 8,897
$0.47 Rp 8,459
4.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 Rp 9,306
$0.44 Rp 7,837
18.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 Rp 56.3K
$2.71 Rp 48.8K
15.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 14.8K
$0.87 Rp 15.7K
-5.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5K Rp 386.3M
$24.4K Rp 439.3M
-12.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.5K Rp 512.8M
$32.0K Rp 575.4M
-10.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tangerang
Surabaya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.0 Rp 1.2M
$86.9 Rp 1.6M
-25.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.26 Rp 76.7K
$4.50 Rp 81.0K
-5.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.07 Rp 343.2K
$19.07 Rp 343.3K
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tangerang
Surabaya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.81 Rp 302.6K
$17.84 Rp 321.2K
-5.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.48 Rp 314.7K
$6.64 Rp 119.5K
163.25%
Cinema Ticket
$2.83 Rp 51.0K
$2.67 Rp 48.1K
5.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tangerang
Surabaya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$95.7 Rp 1.7M
$281 Rp 5.1M
-65.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,065 Rp 145.2M
$9,385 Rp 168.9M
-14.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tangerang
Surabaya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.75 Rp 697.5K
$71.6 Rp 1.3M
-45.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.98 Rp 521.7K
$39.15 Rp 704.7K
-25.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
$82.4 Rp 1.5M
-5.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.6 Rp 1.3M
$75.0 Rp 1.4M
-5.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tangerang
Surabaya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$338 Rp 6.1M
$281 Rp 5.1M
20.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$135 Rp 2.4M
$148 Rp 2.7M
-8.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$755 Rp 13.6M
$1,218 Rp 21.9M
-38.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$472 Rp 8.5M
$608 Rp 10.9M
-22.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,137 Rp 20.5M
$2,195 Rp 39.5M
-48.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$563 Rp 10.1M
$1,063 Rp 19.1M
-47.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tangerang
Surabaya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$277 Rp 5.0M
$272 Rp 4.9M
1.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.46
7.5
26.13%

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

Last update for Tangerang: October 12, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Tangerang
$201
Surabaya
$208 3.3% $6.7
Accommodation & Living
Tangerang
$135
Surabaya
$148 8.9% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Tangerang
$97
Surabaya
$121 24.1% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tangerang
$88
Surabaya
$111 25.1% $22
Eating Out
Tangerang
$61
Surabaya
$64 5.4% $3.3
Sport & Entertainment
Tangerang
$22
Surabaya
$23 3.2% $0.7
Getting Around
Tangerang
$13
Surabaya
$3.9 * 68.7% $8.6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $338 in Tangerang versus $281 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 reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Tangerang versus $11.00 in Surabaya. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Tangerang vs $208 in Surabaya – so Tangerang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Tangerang
🇮🇩 Surabaya
🕒 Local time
17:48 5:48 PM
17:48 5:48 PM
Same time as Tangerang
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,185,304
2,765,487
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tangerang Surabaya 680 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tangerang
  • Surabaya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Tangerang and in Surabaya compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $618 in Tangerang, $677 in Surabaya – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Tangerang compared to Surabaya?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $926 per month in Tangerang and $1,016 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tangerang and Surabaya?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tangerang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Tangerang or Surabaya?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $618 in Tangerang and $677 in Surabaya. That's a gap of about 10%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Tangerang and Surabaya?
Kindergarten costs $95.7 per month in Tangerang and $281 in Surabaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $1,000 go in Tangerang compared to Surabaya?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $618 in Tangerang and $677 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Tangerang or Surabaya?
Families tend to lean toward Tangerang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Tangerang and Surabaya?
If budget matters most, go with Tangerang. 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.

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