Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $688 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,887 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $1,205 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,082 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $1,722 in Surabaya, rent included.

Uluwatu, Bali costs about 146% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Uluwatu, Bali sits 23% above the global median, while Surabaya is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Uluwatu, Bali
Surabaya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.21 Rp 74.2K
$1.66 Rp 29.3K
153.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.88 Rp 826.4K
$11.40 Rp 201.0K
311.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.86 Rp 120.9K
$3.24 Rp 57.2K
111.73%
Cappuccino
$3.25 Rp 57.2K
$1.56 Rp 27.5K
108.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 Rp 35.5K
$0.56 Rp 9,841
258.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 Rp 15.4K
$0.26 Rp 4,572
234.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 Rp 56.7K
$2.25 Rp 39.6K
42.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.00 Rp 88.1K
$4.37 Rp 77.0K
14.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Uluwatu, Bali
Surabaya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.61 Rp 28.4K
$1.21 Rp 21.4K
33.06%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 Rp 42.3K
$1.34 Rp 23.7K
79.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.22 Rp 21.4K
$0.86 Rp 15.2K
41.86%
Eggs
$2.22 Rp 39.2K
$1.21 Rp 21.2K
83.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.63 Rp 328.4K
$7.80 Rp 137.5K
138.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.27 Rp 75.2K
$2.96 Rp 52.2K
44.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.94 Rp 228.1K
$7.87 Rp 138.8K
64.42%
Apples (1kg)
$3.84 Rp 67.6K
$2.02 Rp 35.7K
90.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 Rp 28.5K
$1.33 Rp 23.4K
21.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.46 Rp 43.4K
$1.87 Rp 32.9K
31.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.07 Rp 36.6K
$1.52 Rp 26.9K
36.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 33.7K
$1.37 Rp 24.2K
39.42%
Onion (1kg)
$2.52 Rp 44.5K
$1.93 Rp 34.0K
30.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 18.7K
$0.97 Rp 17.2K
9.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 Rp 10.3K
$0.40 Rp 7,050
47.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.46 Rp 43.4K
$1.96 Rp 34.5K
25.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.68 Rp 435.0K
$25.35 Rp 447.0K
-2.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.46 Rp 43.3K
$1.71 Rp 30.1K
43.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 Rp 53.1K
$2.89 Rp 50.9K
4.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Uluwatu, Bali
Surabaya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.32 Rp 5,624
$0.36 Rp 6,271
-11.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.57 Rp 186.3K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.61 Rp 10.8K
$0.47 Rp 8,334
29.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 Rp 10.5K
$0.47 Rp 8,293
27.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.56 Rp 45.2K
$2.70 Rp 47.7K
-5.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.03 Rp 18.2K
$0.80 Rp 14.2K
28.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K Rp 544.5M
$24.7K Rp 435.5M
25.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K Rp 700.8M
$33.1K Rp 583.3M
20.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Uluwatu, Bali
Surabaya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.1 Rp 1.6M
$88.9 Rp 1.6M
1.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.01 Rp 123.5K
$4.83 Rp 85.2K
45.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.74 Rp 365.7K
$19.84 Rp 349.7K
4.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Uluwatu, Bali
Surabaya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.9 Rp 1.1M
$18.57 Rp 327.4K
244.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.78 Rp 384.0K
$6.54 Rp 115.3K
233.03%
Cinema Ticket
$5.23 Rp 92.2K
$2.65 Rp 46.7K
97.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Uluwatu, Bali
Surabaya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$553 Rp 9.8M
$286 Rp 5.0M
93.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,619 Rp 116.7M
$9,694 Rp 170.9M
-31.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Uluwatu, Bali
Surabaya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.9 Rp 897.1K
$71.2 Rp 1.3M
-28.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.71 Rp 700.1K
$39.47 Rp 695.8K
0.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.7 Rp 1.6M
$81.5 Rp 1.4M
9.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 Rp 1.5M
$74.9 Rp 1.3M
15.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Uluwatu, Bali
Surabaya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,546 Rp 27.3M
$290 Rp 5.1M
433.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$925 Rp 16.3M
$150 Rp 2.6M
518.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,743 Rp 83.6M
$1,276 Rp 22.5M
271.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,298 Rp 40.5M
$618 Rp 10.9M
271.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,748 Rp 66.1M
$2,231 Rp 39.3M
68.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,055 Rp 53.9M
$1,073 Rp 18.9M
184.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Uluwatu, Bali
Surabaya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$277 Rp 4.9M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
7.5
83.73%

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

Last update for Uluwatu, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,546 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $290 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 $47.00 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $11.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 vs $211 – making Surabaya 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
Uluwatu, Bali vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Uluwatu, Bali and in Surabaya compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,692 in Uluwatu, Bali, $688 in Surabaya – roughly 146% apart. Uluwatu, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Uluwatu, Bali compared to Surabaya?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Uluwatu, Bali and $1,032 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Uluwatu, Bali and Surabaya?
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.
Which city is more expensive overall: Uluwatu, Bali or Surabaya?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Uluwatu, Bali and $688 in Surabaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Uluwatu, Bali and Surabaya?
Kindergarten costs $553 per month in Uluwatu, Bali and $286 in Surabaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surabaya, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Uluwatu, Bali at $1,692. In Surabaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uluwatu, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Uluwatu, Bali and Surabaya?
It depends on your priorities. Uluwatu, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $688 in Surabaya to $1,692 in Uluwatu, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Uluwatu, Bali or Surabaya safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Uluwatu, Bali and Surabaya?
If budget matters most, go with Surabaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Uluwatu, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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