How much do you need to earn to live here, after Indonesia takes its share?
Here's the gross monthly salary that covers rent, food, transport, and utilities once Indonesia's tax system has taken its cut. (2026)
The floor in Surabaya is roughly Rp10,239,178/month gross, on a lean budget.
For something that feels comfortable, think Rp17,787,947/month gross (Rp15,880,000 net after ~11% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | Rp5,000,000 Cheapest neighborhood (Rungkut) | Rp10,650,000 Median neighborhood | Rp12,500,000 Premium neighborhood (Gubeng) |
| Groceries | Rp2,000,000 | Rp2,400,000 | Rp3,000,000 |
| Transport | Rp400,000 | Rp400,000 | Rp400,000 |
| Utilities | Rp990,000 | Rp990,000 | Rp990,000 |
| Dining & Entertainment | Rp1,200,000 | Rp1,440,000 | Rp1,800,000 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | Rp9,590,000 | Rp15,880,000 | Rp18,690,000 |
Rp10,239,178/month gross
Rp17,787,947/month gross
Rp21,161,297/month gross
Second-hand 1BR rents across 5 neighborhoods in Surabaya.
Rungkut
30 min by car
Rp5,000,000 - Rp7,500,000
Surabaya Pusat
5 min by car
Rp7,500,000 - Rp11,000,000
Tunjungan
8 min by walk
Rp8,800,000 - Rp12,500,000
Gubeng
10 min by car
Rp10,000,000 - Rp15,000,000
Citraland
25 min by car
Rp9,400,000 - Rp13,500,000
Tunjungan
8 min by walk
Rp8,800,000 - Rp12,500,000
All 5 neighborhoods, the full expense sheet, and what you could save.
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We add up monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then work backwards to find the gross salary that lands on that number after Indonesia's income tax and social contributions. Rent data reflects second-hand listings, which is what expats actually pay. All figures come from 2026 official government statistics. Full attribution lives on our data sources page.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least Rp10,239,178/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Surabaya. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for Rp17,787,947/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for Indonesia.
The average 1-bedroom rent across 5 neighborhoods in Surabaya is approximately Rp10,020,000/month. Rents range from Rp5,000,000 in Rungkut to Rp15,000,000 in Gubeng.
Monthly groceries for a single person in Surabaya cost approximately Rp2,000,000. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in Indonesia are progressive. At the budget salary level of Rp10,239,178/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 6%. At the comfortable level of Rp17,787,947/month, it rises to approximately 11%. This includes income tax and social contributions.