Moving to United States from Indonesia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Indonesia to United States — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Indonesia to United States, you would find that United States is 4.3 times more expensive than Indonesia overall. A IDR1,336,972,500 salary in Indonesia would need to be roughly $202,815 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 89°F in Jakarta, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Indonesia to United States.
What does your salary buy?
IDR1,336,972,500 → $202,815
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 6.3 times more
Groceries
pay 2.3 times more
Transportation
pay 3.2 times more
Housing
pay 5.2 times more
Childcare
pay 8.7 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.3 times 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 United States cost about 232% more than cities in Indonesia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Indonesia to United States, based on official data.
people moved from Indonesia to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
60.105,617
Indonesia
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Indonesia to United States.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Indonesia generally does better on safety, though United States leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Indonesia generally does better on environment, though United States leads in air pollution deaths.
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
United States performs significantly better than Indonesia across all infrastructure metrics.
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 United States 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
United States 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 | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Jakarta | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG),
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Indonesia and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Indonesia passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States 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 United States than Indonesia?
No — United States is on average about 170% more expensive than Indonesia. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $50,704 in United States on a IDR1,336,972,500 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from United States?
Internet is rarely the blocker — United States has 37.8 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 States safe for expats?
Indonesia generally does better on safety, though United States leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Indonesia. About 63% of people in United States feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in United States compared to Indonesia?
Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 6.9 in Indonesia. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Indonesia: 55).
What's the weather like in United States compared to Indonesia?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 89°F in Jakarta. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Jakarta gets 65.2 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
The official language in United States is English. In Indonesia, the official language is Indonesian.
