Indonesia · Visit or make it home

Surabaya

Surabaya is a city in Indonesia. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Surabaya — Central Surabaya view taken from JW Marriott Surabaya

Get to know Surabaya

A sense of the place

Surabaya is the capital and largest city of East Java province and the second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. Located on the northeastern corner of Java island, on the Madura Strait, it is one of the earliest port cities in Southeast Asia. According to the National Development Planning Agency, Surabaya is one of the four main central cities of Indonesia, alongside Jakarta, Medan, and Makassar. The city covers a land area of 334.50 km2, and had a population of 2,874,314 within its city limits at the 2020 census. With 3,003,860 people living in the city as of mid 2025 and over 10 million in the extended Surabaya metropolitan area, according to the latest official estimate, Surabaya is the second-largest metropolitan area in Indonesia. Surabaya metropolitan area also has ASEAN's 6th largest economy, ahead of Hanoi. In 2023, the city's GRP PPP was estimated at US$150.294 billion.

Weather through the year

When to visit Surabaya

Temperature

October has the warmest monthly average (29.8°C); February is coolest (27.0°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

January averages about 337 mm of rain, compared with 11 mm in August. For an outdoor-focused trip, compare the drier months before choosing dates.

Planning time outdoors

Monthly mean temperatures reach at least 25°C in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. For sightseeing, plan shade, water breaks and accommodation cooling into your day; daytime temperatures can be higher than these day-and-night averages.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C27.127.027.327.827.927.727.628.229.429.829.027.7
Rain, mm3373162721931237435111863140300

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

What is available for Surabaya

A sourced introduction is available. The guide shows dated values for 3 distinct local indicators below, with source and confidence notes. Monthly temperature and rainfall averages are also available; they describe the reference period, not a forecast.

Comparable local figures are missing here for: Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre; Annual sunshine hours; Air quality — annual mean PM2.5; Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Average one-bedroom rent — wider rental area; City population; Mean wind speed at 10 metres; Mean daily solar radiation; Seasonal temperature range. Missing values are not treated as zero and do not establish an advantage.

Available does not mean current or complete: older figures, estimates and limited confidence remain labelled beside each observation. National context below is not a local measurement. Check the dates and the sources for the decisions that matter to you.

Places around Surabaya

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Surabaya

What is the average rent in Surabaya?

A verified average rent for Surabaya is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.

Average salary in Surabaya

What is the average salary in Surabaya?

182.3 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2023. It describes Indonesia, not average salary in Surabaya. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2023 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Surabaya with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Surabaya, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

Compare holiday preferences →

A relocation budget

Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

Compare with another city →

Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Surabaya in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Surabaya at a glance

Indonesia: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Surabaya. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 10 national indicators

Other places to compare in Indonesia

What to check before deciding

Comparable figures are not available here for: Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre; Annual sunshine hours; Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high). Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.

Compare Surabaya with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

All maintained comparisons →

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