Moving to China from Indonesia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Indonesia to China — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Indonesia to China, you would find that China is 43.5% more expensive than Indonesia overall. A IDR1,336,972,500 salary in Indonesia would need to be roughly CN¥541,480 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Beijing averages 64°F vs 89°F in Jakarta, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Indonesia to China.
What does your salary buy?
IDR1,336,972,500 → CN¥541,480
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 22.2% more
Groceries
pay 6.2% less
Transportation
pay 26.1% more
Housing
pay 8.6% less
Childcare
pay 3.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 45.6% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in China cost about 11% more than cities in Indonesia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Indonesia to China, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to China?
Top countries of origin for China's foreign-born residents.
- 303,095
- 209,555
- 144,831
- 57,602
- 56,657
-
6.30,811
Indonesia
Key Indicator Comparison
How Indonesia and China stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Indonesia leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Indonesia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Indonesia performs better than China across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
China generally does better on infrastructure, though Indonesia leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Indonesia generally does better on employment & economy, though China leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
China performs significantly better than Indonesia across all family life metrics.
Data: Direktorat Jenderal Pajak, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Jakarta | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Jakarta | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
Data:
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG),
China Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Indonesia and China. To live, work, or study long-term in China, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check China's immigration authority.
Indonesia passport holder visiting China
Visa Required
China passport holder visiting Indonesia
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in China than Indonesia?
Day-to-day costs in China run about 7% higher than Indonesia on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to China?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a IDR1,336,972,500 comparable salary, that's around CN¥135,370 in China for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from China?
With 41.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, China can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Indonesia and China.
Is China safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Indonesia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Indonesia. About 91% of people in China feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in China compared to Indonesia?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Indonesia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 6.9 in Indonesia. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Indonesia: 55).
What's the weather like in China compared to Indonesia?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 89°F in Jakarta. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Jakarta gets 65.2 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In Indonesia, the official language is Indonesian.
