Moving to United Kingdom from Indonesia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Indonesia to United Kingdom — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Indonesia to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 3.5 times more expensive than Indonesia overall. A IDR1,400,000,000 salary in Indonesia would need to be roughly £204,000 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°F vs 89°F in Jakarta, making it significantly cooler.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is United Kingdom cheaper than Indonesia?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 6.7 times more

Groceries

pay 49.5% more

Transportation

pay 3.4 times more

Housing

pay 5.1 times more

Childcare

pay 7.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.4 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IDR = 0.0 GBP (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in United Kingdom?

What does your salary buy?

IDR1,400,000,000 → £204,000

To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom

Calculate with your salary →

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 United Kingdom cost about 155% more than cities in Indonesia.

Indonesia

Ubud 35%
Bekasi 25%
Tangerang 24%
Malang 23%

United Kingdom

Surrey 79%
Harrow 74%
Ealing 72%
Wigan 68%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Indonesia to United Kingdom, based on official data.

Moved in 2015
1,000

people moved from Indonesia to United Kingdom · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United Kingdom?

Top countries of origin for United Kingdom's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Indonesia to United Kingdom.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ID
0.3
GB
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ID
11.3
GB
2.4

Indonesia generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

ID
$417
GB
$6,606
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

ID
5.2
GB
33.0

Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ID
58.0
GB
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ID
2.9t
GB
4.2t

Indonesia generally does better on environment, though United Kingdom leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ID
4.9
GB
42.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ID
29.7%
GB
14.3%

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Indonesia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ID
3.2%
GB
4.8%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

ID
$5,060
GB
$57,602

Indonesia generally does better on employment & economy, though United Kingdom leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

ID
71.3 yrs
GB
81.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ID
15.2
GB
4.1

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Indonesia across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Direktorat Jenderal Pajak (2016), HM Revenue & Customs (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in United Kingdom vs Indonesia

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jakarta Rain: 65.2 in/yr (1655 mm)
89° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jakarta London
Jan–Mar 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) 49°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 64°/48°F (18°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 72°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 53°/43°F (12°/6°C)
View all months
Month Jakarta London
Jan 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C)
Mar 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C)
Apr 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C)
May 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C)
Jun 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Jul 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C)
Sep 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C)
Oct 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C)
Nov 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C)
Dec 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C)

Data: Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), Met Office Met Office

Can you move from Indonesia to United Kingdom?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Indonesia and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.

Indonesia passport

Indonesia passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Indonesia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Kingdom.
United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Indonesia

Visa on Arrival
United Kingdom passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Indonesia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in United Kingdom than Indonesia?

No — United Kingdom is on average about 250% more expensive than Indonesia. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly £51,000 in United Kingdom on a IDR1,400,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?

Internet is rarely the blocker — United Kingdom has 42.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is United Kingdom safe for expats?

Indonesia generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Indonesia.

How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Indonesia?

Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.0 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 5.2 in Indonesia. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Indonesia: 55).

What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Indonesia?

The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 89°F in Jakarta. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Jakarta gets 65.2 in.

What language do they speak in United Kingdom?

The official language in United Kingdom is English. In Indonesia, the official language is Indonesian.

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At a Glance

ID GB
Population 285,721,236 69,487,000
Currency Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) British Pound Sterling (£)
Languages Indonesian English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +62 +44
Time zones 3 9
Emergency number 112 999