Moving to Indonesia from Iowa
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iowa to Indonesia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iowa to Indonesia, you would find that Indonesia is 56.8% cheaper than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly IDR704,851,902 in Indonesia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Indonesian. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Jakarta averages 89°F vs 60°F in Des Moines, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iowa and Indonesia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → IDR704,851,902
To maintain the same standard of living in Indonesia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 79.2% less
Groceries
pay 36.4% less
Transportation
pay 39.6% less
Housing
pay 71.3% less
Childcare
pay 79.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 64.7% less
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 Indonesia cost about 52% less than cities in Iowa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Iowa to Indonesia.
Who's moving to Indonesia?
Top countries of origin for Indonesia's foreign-born residents.
- 76,028
- 33,580
- 32,911
- 23,681
- 23,681
- 23,681
- · · ·
-
8.12,697
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Indonesia compared to Iowa.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Indonesia performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iowa performs 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
share of people below the poverty line
Iowa generally does better on employment & economy, though Indonesia leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iowa performs better than Indonesia across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Des Moines | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Indonesia. To live, work, or study long-term in Indonesia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Indonesia's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Indonesia
Visa on Arrival
Indonesia passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Indonesia than Iowa?
On average Indonesia is about 47% less expensive than Iowa, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Indonesia?
Budget about IDR176,212,976 for 3 months in Indonesia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Indonesia?
From major Indonesia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iowa and Indonesia are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to Iowa?
Indonesia performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Indonesia compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in Indonesia?
The official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. In Iowa, the official language is English.
