Cost of Living Comparison Between Tanjung Balai Karimun and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Tanjung Balai Karimun and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $641 per month in Tanjung Balai Karimun vs $676 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,009 per month in Tanjung Balai Karimun vs $1,202 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,377 per month in Tanjung Balai Karimun vs $1,728 in Surabaya, rent included.

Tanjung Balai Karimun is about 5% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tanjung Balai Karimun and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Tanjung Balai Karimun 53% lower, Surabaya 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.71 Rp 30.3K

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

-1.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.98 Rp 247.5K

$11.51 Rp 203.8K

21.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.26 Rp 57.6K

$3.25 Rp 57.5K

0.31%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

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

$0.42 Rp 7,476

$0.62 Rp 10.9K

-32.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,047

$0.26 Rp 4,554

-11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 42.7K

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

8.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 Rp 67.8K

$4.36 Rp 77.2K

-12.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

-26.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

-18.89%

Eggs

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

35.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 Rp 143.8K

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

6.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 Rp 46.4K

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

-15.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.00 Rp 123.9K

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

-7.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

8.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 25.9K

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 31.6K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

-6.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

$1.57 Rp 27.7K

-27.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

9.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 Rp 30.4K

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

-15.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,082

$0.41 Rp 7,186

12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 Rp 46.9K

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

38.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.67 Rp 383.7K

$25.23 Rp 446.8K

-14.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 Rp 58.8K

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

13.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,304

$0.33 Rp 5,825

-9.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,611

$0.52 Rp 9,236

-5.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,132

$0.43 Rp 7,630

-18.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 Rp 44.2K

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

-9.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

5.19%

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

$23.5K Rp 416.5M

$24.8K Rp 439.2M

-5.16%

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

$29.7K Rp 525.9M

$32.5K Rp 575.4M

-8.59%

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

$63.5 Rp 1.1M

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

-26.73%

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

$4.11 Rp 72.8K

$4.68 Rp 82.9K

-12.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.22 Rp 393.4K

$19.47 Rp 344.7K

14.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.70 Rp 384.3K

$18.72 Rp 331.4K

15.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 Rp 136.2K

$6.96 Rp 123.2K

10.49%

Cinema Ticket

$2.61 Rp 46.2K

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

-3.33%

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

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

$283 Rp 5.0M

-66.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,545 Rp 151.3M

$9,866 Rp 174.7M

-13.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.76 Rp 739.4K

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

-41.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.37 Rp 484.7K

$40.23 Rp 712.4K

-31.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 Rp 1.3M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-10.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 Rp 1.3M

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

-1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.1M

$282 Rp 5.0M

-17.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.8M

$150 Rp 2.7M

5.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 Rp 10.3M

$1,256 Rp 22.2M

-53.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 Rp 7.2M

$619 Rp 11.0M

-34.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,101 Rp 19.5M

$2,218 Rp 39.3M

-50.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$602 Rp 10.7M

$1,072 Rp 19.0M

-43.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

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 Tanjung Balai Karimun: September 14, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $232 in Tanjung Balai Karimun 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Tanjung Balai Karimun versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Tanjung Balai Karimun vs $211 in Surabaya – so Tanjung Balai Karimun 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

Tanjung Balai Karimun vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $641 in Tanjung Balai Karimun, $676 in Surabaya – roughly 6% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $962 per month in Tanjung Balai Karimun 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 Tanjung Balai Karimun, 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 $641 in Tanjung Balai Karimun and $676 in Surabaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $95.1 per month in Tanjung Balai Karimun and $283 in Surabaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $641 in Tanjung Balai Karimun and $676 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Tanjung Balai Karimun – 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 Tanjung Balai Karimun. 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.