Living in Surabaya
Indonesia · tropical
Surabaya is a big city of roughly 3,000,000 people near the mountains in Indonesia. The climate is tropical. It has a lively, popular feel and is considered very safe. A typical month of living costs around $950. Healthcare is reasonable, and the internet is generally reliable. People come here for hiking, food and eating out, quiet days.
Private healthcare (4/5) is clearly better than the public system (1/5): budget for insurance.
Surabaya at a glance: cost, climate, safety
Who tends to love living in Surabaya
- Making a budget stretch further
- Feeling safe day to day
- Getting around on foot
- Raising a family
- Anyone into hiking
- Anyone into food and eating out
All parameters
💉 Childhood vaccines: Compulsory by law
Health ministry regulation 12 of 2017 calls basic immunisation compulsory, and the state has chosen persuasion over enforcement.
If you skip them: Little in practice: the regulation carries no real penalty.
Exemptions: Medical, and in practice a refusal is accepted.
Source: Permenkes 12/2017, plus Georgetown AMP EID, survey of national legislation, 2024
📈 Popularity & prices: Growing
Accommodation prices have moved about +39% in the last 5 years.
Estimates, for orientation only.
🔭 Where this place is heading
Today’s data. Tap a year to see where it is heading.
What to know before moving to Surabaya
- • Can get busy with visitors in peak season.
- • Natural risks worth checking: earthquakes, volcanic activity.
⚠️ The downsides of living in Surabaya
- •Malaria is present, mostly in rural areas and the wet season.
- •Rabies risk from stray dogs, think twice before petting animals.
- •Tap water isn't reliably drinkable, budget for filtered or bottled.
- •Air quality: PM2.5 averages ~30 µg/m³ (WHO guideline is 5).
- •Natural hazards to check locally: earthquakes, volcanic activity.
Health, air (WHO PM2.5), water & crime figures are rough country-level estimates, verify for your case.
Where is Surabaya?
₿ Spend Bitcoin around Surabaya
Open the Bitcoin merchant maps for this area, cafés, shops and ATMs that accept Bitcoin.
Merchants: BTC Map, from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Events and meetups: Club Orange.
Questions, answered
How much does it cost to live in Surabaya, Indonesia?
A typical month in Surabaya costs around $950, covering rent and everyday expenses for one person. It is an estimate meant for comparing places, not for budgeting exactly.
Is Surabaya, Indonesia safe?
Arcadia rates personal safety in Surabaya at 4 out of 5, which is good. Natural risks worth checking: earthquakes, volcanic activity.
What is the internet like in Surabaya?
Internet in Surabaya is rated 3 out of 5 for remote work, which is reasonable. Starlink is available in this country.
What is the weather like in Surabaya?
Surabaya has a tropical climate. Mountains are close by.
Is healthcare good in Surabaya?
Healthcare in Surabaya is rated 3 out of 5 overall, which is reasonable. Public healthcare is 1/5 and private healthcare 4/5.
How easy is it to move to Indonesia?
Arcadia rates the ease of getting residency in Indonesia at 3 out of 5, which is reasonable. The place page lists the visa routes that apply and which depend on your passport.
Is Surabaya actually right for you?
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