Jakarta vs Surabaya
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Jakarta edges it, 53 to 50, winning 3 of the 9 factors. Jakarta is stronger on climate; Surabaya on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Indonesia's megacity, cheap and chaotic
Full Jakarta profile →Where to stay in Jakarta →Indonesia's second city, business-first and cheap
Full Surabaya profile →Where to stay in Surabaya →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Jakarta | Surabaya |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 55 | 63 ✓ |
| Safety | 67 | 67 |
| Healthcare | 56 | 56 |
| Internet | 54 ✓ | 52 |
| Visa ease | 54 | 54 |
| Getting there & around | 56 ✓ | 47 |
| Climate | 50 ✓ | 25 |
| Air quality | 36 | 37 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 45 | 45 |
Cost
| Metric | Jakarta | Surabaya |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,127 | $922 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $550 | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Jakarta | Surabaya |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.41 | 0.41 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 52.7 | 52.7 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 67 | 67 |
| Life expectancy | 68.3 yrs | 68.3 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Jakarta | Surabaya |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 15.8 Mbps ✓ | 14.5 Mbps |
| Upload | 8.3 Mbps ✓ | 5.7 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Jakarta | Surabaya |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Remote worker visa (E33G) | Remote worker visa (E33G) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $5,000/mo | $5,000/mo |
| Entry, US passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival |
| Entry, EU passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival |
| Entry, UK passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Jakarta | Surabaya |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 98 ✓ | 41 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 ✓ |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 ✓ | 2 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Jakarta | Surabaya |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 6 ✓ | 3 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 33.8 µg/m³ | 33.3 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Jakarta or Surabaya?
- Surabaya is cheaper: about $922 per month versus $1,127 for one person.
- Is Jakarta or Surabaya safer?
- Jakarta scores higher on safety (67 vs 67), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Jakarta or Surabaya?
- Jakarta: a measured median of 15.8 Mbps versus 14.5 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.