Cost of living 2018 in Indonesia

House prices don't really mean much directly to expats as they are not allowed to buy land here, but the estate agents hyping prices causes a lot of grief for expats and locals alike because rents are forced up and shop prices increase as a direct result.
That soon bounces its way through the system, forcing prices up generally.
This issue is forcing prices of everything up in the major cities but far less so as you go rural.
I'll come to prices in more detail in another post but the list will really only apply to small areas, not Indonesia in general.

Prices have gone up in the last year slightly but I have used my gbp£ for the last 3 or 4 months as the £ is basically back to what it was to the 3 years or so ago so for me it's cheaper by about 12%
since Brexit I was using my US$ or SG$ account as they have generally stayed strong / in line to the Rp
I've noticed rents and house purchases have gone up considerably as to have the land leases in the last 2 years or so I wouldn't want the burden of renewing a large plot

This is roughly what I have experienced in Batam

How much does it cost to rent an apartment or a house in Indonesia?
I've seen prices vary for monthly from Rp 1.5 million - Rp35 million


How much does it cost to buy an apartment or a house in Indonesia?
House from Rp250million - Rp25 billion apartments 400million - 6 /7billion

How much do you pay on average for public transportation (bus, subway, train, tram, taxi)? N/A

How much do you pay for basic food items such as rice, bread, and pasta?
10kg rice abt Rp130k bread Rp10k - 50k
Pasta 25k 1kg (I think)

What is your monthly budget for groceries?
Various dramatically month to month

How much does it cost to see a doctor/dentist/physician/specialist in Indonesia?
Appointment with doctor/ Dentist 200-300k
Child's vaccines between 1.1 million - 1.6 million

How much do you pay for health insurance per month? have employers insurance that covers family

How much does childcare cost on average per month? N/A

What is your child's schooling budget per month?
Schools from 200k - 7million per month
Step daughter attends computer and English classes after school 30hrs per month at 600k think her usual school is about 400k a month?

How much does it cost to fill up your cars fuel tank?
Average 600k per month for pertomax turbo about 9,450 per litre

How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc., per month? Average about 2million including drinking water

How much do you pay for your internet and phone subscription? 255k per month unlimited average 23mbps for home, phone is company

How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays? Free

How much do you pay for an espresso coffee?
Have my own machine have a real addiction for my coffee I would be embarrassed to say how much I spend a month

How much do you pay for a cinema ticket?
Android box 😁 not been for a while think it's 40/50k??

How much does a gym membership cost in Indonesia? 200k - 500k

Gwmeath...still got that western in you hahhah///...I pay 5o,ooo Rp to see my doctor..150.000  Rp if it.s a specisalist..bout $1 aud...around 300.000 Rp for Elect.a month.using my a/c..2 tv/s...frezzer   etc:fuel bout 7.000 Rp////l//for my scooter..I can buy beer cheaper in Australia..They hit the drinkers here..cus their not supposed to drink..chicken is getting around the same...but can buy drumsticks cheaper at Woolies.coffee...i just but the 3 in 1 cappacinno.for home.vegies gettn dear as well.I think drinking is the biggest outlay...if u don.t drink alcohol,,,yer way ahead.there/s 2 of us..so bout 40,000.Rp..for 2 waters a month.19/L...cheers.And I believe the real estate is bad now...and the ripp _off of 5%   to sell...is wrong..cheers...

My take on this. I live in deepest darkest Mampang, South Jakarta

How much does it cost to rent an apartment or a house in Indonesia?

Depending on location, size and level of furnishing  you can rent an apartment from 20 million up a year to something stupid.
Housing in my area is hard to come by but the locals live in houses from 8 million a year. Mine is way more as it has a car port and is nice.


How much does it cost to buy an apartment or a house in Indonesia?

I don't really know how much to buy currently.

How much do you pay on average for public transportation (bus, subway, train, tram, taxi)?

Transjakarta is 3500 idr regardless of trip length
A bus from Pondok Indah Mall to the airport is 25k
The airport train is 70k
Damrai buses to the airport depend on where you want to go but still cheap.
Grab,gojek and uber are pretty cheap with around 25k for 15km depending on time.
The same but cars can be more than a taxi or less depending on time and availability.
Trains are cheap. Jakarta to Yogja is around 400k

Bus and trains are cashless and online taxi companies can be as well.

I haven't taken a taxi for months so not sure. But if in a group Silver bird Alphards are as cheap as blue bird if you split the cost and it's a bit of style.

How much do you pay for basic food items such as rice, bread, and pasta?

Rice is 10,000 to 12,000 idr per kilo locally
Sari Roti is around 13,000 for a half loaf
Pasta starts cheap depending what and goes up and up and up

Spaghetti around 10k a pack

What is your monthly budget for groceries?

Not including rice or market trips less than 3 million

How much does it cost to see a doctor/dentist/physician/specialist in Indonesia?

Never sure. Last trip with my soon for a child specialist and medicine was 700k

How much do you pay for health insurance per month?

My boys around 1.5 for different cover levels, my wife has company and private insurance as does my youngest. I have company insurance

How much does childcare cost on average per month?

3 million for me

What is your child's schooling budget per month?

Youngest 450k for TK and eldest 3 million including transport as he is in senior high

How much does it cost to fill up your car's fuel tank?

No car. My bike is around 200k a month

How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc., per month?

Water less than 250k, electricity around a million and gas depends on usage around 60k

How much do you pay for your internet and phone subscription?

No internet so use 4 or 3g and currently 180k a month

How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays?

Less than 25k

How much do you pay for an espresso coffee?

From 18k

How much do you pay for a cinema ticket?

Don't know

How much does a gym membership cost in Indonesia?

Don't know but you have to pay first and last month up front

1.5 - 35 mio rb for monthly house rent looks very cheap to me or the rooms quantity and living area must be very limited.
I have paid already 5years ago 35mio & extras for a 2 bedroom only in Balikpapan.
Now living in Bali the house rents start with 20mio for a very small house and go up over the roof top of 100mio a year.
I'm not talking about over priced tourist prices.

Sth Bali...you can easily get a house between 20 to 30 mill....a year..Internet is all over the place..mine is with pay tv...over priced and will stop...bout 220,000 ..a month for 20 gigs ..the pay Tv..is the worry ..will look for a new provider and will go back to Modem b/band.instaed of wi-fi..Dairy products are expensive//prolly cus most imported/..cars are ridiculous to buy..The water board keeps charging me for a house no one lives in..They just make a bill up...fraud I/d say//so I don/t pay that.have given them video evidence which they asked for...Elec:  is getting dearer..I pay 30,000 Rp..$3..a month for Garbage pick-up which is reliable.Some goes to the local Banjar.which should fix the roads but wont...One of my banks charges me for an account with no money in it.which I don/t pay,..You can/t grow grass on a busy street'''

Brawijaya Ckinic which is well known by expats in Jakarta charges Rp75k here for consultancy. I think Rp200k - 300k must be including those antibiotics.

What kind of houses cost Rp250 million? Building a new two storey house can cost Rp1 billion plus these days. For a decent sized single storey house at least Rp500 million just to build. You can buy a large run down house with government lease for a couple hundred million. Our new kitchen just cost Rp44 million with teak and imported granite.

Renting a decent house downtown, upwards of Rp40 million per year, and Rp60+ million for something nice.

Cost for water: Free, except the cost of running the pump.

Electricity, with 7 air-conditioners in our home, and a recently increased supply, too much. Last bill Rp2.5 million for two month period

Child schooling:

International School: Rp7 million per term
Montessori Kindergarten: Rp8 million per term

Fill up my car tank: Rp550,000

Cinema Ticket: Rp50k on weekends and Rp35k on weekdays

Cost of bread: Rp18k - 20k

Espresso: Free at home, Rp15k - Rp35k in a cafe or restaurant

Groceries: Rp1 million per week (we eat out mostly or order delivery)

Gas: We use a gas bottle, it's cheap and lasts us 2 years

TV and internet: Using Indihome and Indovision and 2nd Indovision Decoder for 3 TV's and one wireless modem: somewhere below Rp1 million per month

Gym membership: I don't waste my money there and I am not fat. But I have a massage once a week and Rp185k for a 90 minute session.

Public Transport: Zero. We have two cars

Kid's music lessons: Rp350k to Rp550k per month (piano and guitar)

Maid: Rp1.5 million per  month

Weekday lunch pack: We don't do that kind of thing

Regarding get a house easily in bali for 20-30mio a year its good enough only for a couple with a baby. 1 room and no more extra space.
Minimalis house max.70-80m3.
Consider to rent an appartement only for the same price which is more nicer.

bundy2 wrote:

Gwmeath...still got that western in you hahhah///...I pay 5o,ooo Rp to see my doctor..150.000  Rp if it.s a specisalist..bout $1 aud...around 300.000 Rp for Elect.a month.using my a/c..2 tv/s...frezzer   etc:fuel bout 7.000 Rp////l//for my scooter..I can buy beer cheaper in Australia..They hit the drinkers here..cus their not supposed to drink..chicken is getting around the same...but can buy drumsticks cheaper at Woolies.coffee...i just but the 3 in 1 cappacinno.for home.vegies gettn dear as well.I think drinking is the biggest outlay...if u don.t drink alcohol,,,yer way ahead.there/s 2 of us..so bout 40,000.Rp..for 2 waters a month.19/L...cheers.And I believe the real estate is bad now...and the ripp _off of 5%   to sell...is wrong..cheers...

Absolutely nothing to do with being a westerner
The prices for the doctor is standard here regardless of nationality, electric is the same it depends on size watts and obviously consumption as they has been a 50% increase across the board with electricity proviors in batam last year I presume it has been all of Indonesia to if not it will hit others soon I presume

How much does it cost to rent an apartment or a house in Indonesia?
Our house costs approximately 48 million Rp a month

How much does it cost to buy an apartment or a house in Indonesia? I've never looked

How much do you pay on average for public transportation (bus, subway, train, tram, taxi)? We rent cars with drivers. For my 7 seater car and driver it's approximately 11 million Rp a month

How much do you pay for basic food items such as rice, bread, and pasta? We like Basmati rice which is hard to find, it costs us Rp 400,000 for a 5kg. Bread is Rp 13,000 for half a loaf. A packet of Spaghetti is approximately Rp24,000.

What is your monthly budget for groceries? Between 8 and 10 million Rp, that does not include alcohol. 24 cans of beer is Rp450,000 and wine can range from 350,000. The wine we like costs Rp700,000 a bottle.

How much does it cost to see a doctor/dentist/physician/specialist in Indonesia?
We have used SOS, the average cost always seems to be a million.

How much do you pay for health insurance per month? Company pay

How much does childcare cost on average per month? N/A

What is your child's schooling budget per month?
The children go to an international school, it costs approximately 300 million a year.

How much does it cost to fill up your car's fuel tank? I spend Rp300,000 a week on fuel.

How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc., per month? Gas 300,000 for the year but that's for gas bottles, used for the cooker. Our electric and water is paid for.

How much do you pay for your internet and phone subscription? Don't know

How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays? N/A

How much do you pay for an espresso coffee? I pay for Hot Latte which can cost between 30 to 40 thousand.

How much do you pay for a cinema ticket? 50,000

How much does a gym membership cost in Indonesia? N/A

Thank you for sharing your experience.