Cost of Living Comparison Between Yogyakarta and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Yogyakarta and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $640 per month in Yogyakarta vs $702 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,007 per month in Yogyakarta vs $1,117 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,374 per month in Yogyakarta vs $1,532 in Surabaya, rent included.

Yogyakarta is about 9% cheaper than Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Yogyakarta and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Yogyakarta 52% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yogyakarta
Surabaya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.40 Rp 25.2K
$1.58 Rp 28.4K
-11.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$9.47 Rp 170.1K
$12.11 Rp 217.6K
-21.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.05 Rp 54.9K
$3.05 Rp 54.9K
-
Cappuccino
$1.47 Rp 26.4K
$1.80 Rp 32.4K
-18.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,132
$0.64 Rp 11.5K
-20.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 Rp 4,638
$0.28 Rp 5,048
-7.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 Rp 45.1K
$2.40 Rp 43.2K
4.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 Rp 59.2K
$4.09 Rp 73.5K
-19.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yogyakarta
Surabaya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 Rp 20.8K
$1.38 Rp 24.7K
-15.94%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 Rp 24.8K
$1.50 Rp 26.9K
-8.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.87 Rp 15.6K
$0.94 Rp 17.0K
-7.45%
Eggs
$1.34 Rp 24.0K
$1.50 Rp 26.9K
-10.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.88 Rp 123.7K
$9.24 Rp 166.1K
-25.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.18 Rp 57.1K
$3.19 Rp 57.3K
-0.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.14 Rp 146.2K
$8.13 Rp 146.0K
0.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.41 Rp 43.3K
$2.41 Rp 43.3K
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 Rp 26.0K
$1.56 Rp 28.1K
-7.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.43 Rp 25.7K
$2.20 Rp 39.5K
-35.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.09 Rp 19.6K
$1.50 Rp 27.0K
-27.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 Rp 19.8K
$1.33 Rp 23.8K
-17.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 Rp 31.9K
$1.73 Rp 31.1K
2.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.46 Rp 8,278
$1.19 Rp 21.4K
-61.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.41 Rp 7,384
$0.45 Rp 8,091
-8.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.53 Rp 45.4K
$2.45 Rp 44.1K
3.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.65 Rp 353.1K
$25.13 Rp 451.6K
-21.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 Rp 33.2K
$1.86 Rp 33.5K
-0.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 Rp 56.5K
$3.31 Rp 59.5K
-4.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Yogyakarta
Surabaya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 Rp 3,762
$0.44 Rp 7,860
-52.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.79 Rp 176.0K
$9.48 Rp 170.4K
3.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,605
$0.48 Rp 8,592
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 Rp 5,600
$0.31 Rp 5,615
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.33 Rp 77.9K
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
58.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.86 Rp 15.4K
-5.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.7K Rp 336.5M
$20.5K Rp 368.6M
-8.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K Rp 487.8M
$35.0K Rp 629.7M
-22.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yogyakarta
Surabaya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$72.1 Rp 1.3M
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
-13.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.32 Rp 77.7K
$4.31 Rp 77.5K
0.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.43 Rp 349.1K
$19.61 Rp 352.5K
-0.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yogyakarta
Surabaya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.52 Rp 279.0K
$21.82 Rp 392.2K
-28.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.09 Rp 55.5K
$4.59 Rp 82.6K
-32.68%
Cinema Ticket
$2.70 Rp 48.5K
$2.87 Rp 51.7K
-5.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yogyakarta
Surabaya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$72.4 Rp 1.3M
$186 Rp 3.3M
-61.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,410 Rp 79.2M
$9,556 Rp 171.7M
-53.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yogyakarta
Surabaya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.43 Rp 600.9K
$62.9 Rp 1.1M
-46.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.34 Rp 545.3K
$38.85 Rp 698.2K
-21.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.5 Rp 1.4M
$77.8 Rp 1.4M
-0.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.0 Rp 1.5M
$83.1 Rp 1.5M
-1.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yogyakarta
Surabaya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$194 Rp 3.5M
$244 Rp 4.4M
-20.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$172 Rp 3.1M
$136 Rp 2.4M
26.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$762 Rp 13.7M
$792 Rp 14.2M
-3.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$392 Rp 7.0M
$399 Rp 7.2M
-1.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,642 Rp 29.5M
$2,202 Rp 39.6M
-25.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$216 Rp 3.9M
$1,045 Rp 18.8M
-79.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yogyakarta
Surabaya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$212 Rp 3.8M
$269 Rp 4.8M
-21.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.33
8.33
-

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

Last update for Yogyakarta: July 11, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Yogyakarta 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 27% 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 $9.00 in Yogyakarta versus $12.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $228 – making Yogyakarta 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
Yogyakarta vs Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Yogyakarta and in Surabaya compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $640 in Yogyakarta, $702 in Surabaya – roughly 10% apart. Surabaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Yogyakarta compared to Surabaya?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $960 per month in Yogyakarta and $1,054 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Yogyakarta and Surabaya?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Yogyakarta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 17% more in Surabaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Yogyakarta and $12.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How far does $1,000 go in Yogyakarta compared to Surabaya?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $640 in Yogyakarta and $702 in Surabaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Yogyakarta and Surabaya?
It depends on your priorities. Surabaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $640 in Yogyakarta to $702 in Surabaya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Yogyakarta 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 Yogyakarta and Surabaya?
If budget matters most, go with Yogyakarta. 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.

Yogyakarta vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities