Pune vs. Surabaya: Detailed 2026 Cost of Living & Quality Comparison

This report provides a detailed comparison of Pune, India, and Surabaya, Indonesia, focusing on cost of living, quality of life, and economic factors for the year 2026.

Overall Comparison:

Climate Index

74.3 / 55.7

Cost of Living Index

22.6 / 27.2

Pune   Surabaya

h2 Pune presents a significantly more expensive lifestyle compared to Surabaya, particularly in terms of groceries, dining out, transportation, and childcare. While Pune generally scores higher across quality-of-life indices (like healthcare, safety, and climate), Surabaya offers substantially lower costs for most daily living expenses. Surabaya also has a lower GDP per capita but a lower mortgage interest rate.

Detailed Breakdown:

Health Care Index

65.6 / 68.9

Pollution Index

71.3 / 55.9

Pune   Surabaya

h2

1. Cost of Living:

Property Price to Income Ratio

7.1 / 28.7

Purchasing Power Index

160.8 / 30.8

Pune   Surabaya

h2 * **Groceries:** Surabaya is considerably cheaper, with typical weekly groceries costing about half as much as in Pune. * **Dining Out:** A mid-range dinner for two is significantly less expensive in Surabaya (roughly half the cost) compared to Pune. * **Transportation:** While both cities have relatively low public transport costs, the overall cost of owning and operating a car is much lower in Surabaya due to cheaper fuel and lower vehicle purchase prices. * **Childcare:** Surabaya is significantly cheaper for childcare services. * **Utilities:** Basic utilities for an 85m² apartment are slightly cheaper in Surabaya. * **Rent:** Rent is substantially cheaper in Surabaya, especially for 1-bedroom apartments in the city center (over half the cost of Pune). 3-bedroom apartments are also cheaper, though the gap is narrower. * **Housing:** While the absolute price per square meter is lower in Pune, the *price-to-income ratio* is much higher (11.3x vs. 9.6x), indicating that housing represents a larger proportion of the average income in Pune. The absolute purchase price per square meter is similar between the two cities. * **General Goods:** Basic clothing items are cheaper in Surabaya.

2. Quality of Life:

Quality of Life Index

165.7 / 104.9

Safety Index

58.7 / 63.1

Pune   Surabaya

h2 * **Healthcare:** Pune scores significantly higher (78.9 vs. 68.9), indicating better access and quality of healthcare services. * **Safety:** Pune scores almost double Surabaya's score (63.0 vs. 32.8), suggesting a much safer environment. * **Climate:** Pune has a much more favorable climate score (72.0 vs. 55.7). * **Pollution:** Pune scores almost double Surabaya's score (40.0 vs. 21.3), suggesting cleaner air. * **Property Prices:** While absolute prices are similar, the *perceived value* or *price-to-income ratio* is much higher in Pune (11.3x vs. 9.6x), suggesting property is considered a better investment or reflects higher demand relative to income in Pune.

3. Economic Factors:

Traffic Commute Time Index

44.2 / 32.8

Pune   Surabaya

h2 * **GDP Per Capita:** Pune has a higher GDP per capita (₹33,500 ≈ $430) compared to Surabaya ($1,390). * **GDP Growth:** Pune shows a higher projected GDP growth rate (6.5%) than Surabaya (5.1%). * **Population Growth:** Both cities have similar low projected population growth rates (0.7%). * **Mortgage Interest Rate:** Pune has a lower mortgage interest rate (6.5%) than Surabaya (7.5%).

Summary:

h2 Pune offers a higher standard of living with better quality-of-life indicators (healthcare, safety, climate) and higher earning potential (higher GDP per capita). However, this comes at a significantly higher cost for most goods and services, resulting in a much higher cost of living. Surabaya presents a much lower cost of living, making it more affordable for daily expenses, but with lower quality-of-life scores in key areas like healthcare and safety, and lower earning potential. The choice between the two depends heavily on individual priorities regarding lifestyle quality versus budget constraints.