Moving to Indonesia from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to Indonesia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to Indonesia, you would find that Indonesia is 42.2% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥12,124,875 salary in Japan would need to be roughly IDR892,492,109 in Indonesia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Indonesian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Jakarta averages 89°F vs 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Japan and Indonesia.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,124,875 → IDR892,492,109
To maintain the same standard of living in Indonesia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 53.2% less
Groceries
pay 37.4% less
Transportation
pay 46.8% less
Housing
pay 49.4% less
Childcare
pay 59.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 44.3% 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 34% less than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Japan 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
- · · ·
-
7.19,879
Japan
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Indonesia compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs better than Indonesia across all safety metrics.
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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on environment, though Indonesia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Indonesia leads in top income tax rate.
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
Japan generally does better on family life, though Indonesia leads in education spending.
Data: National Tax Agency Japan, 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 | Tokyo | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Indonesia
Visa on Arrival
Indonesia passport holder visiting Japan
Visa FreeData: 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 Japan?
On average Indonesia is about 34% less expensive than Japan, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Indonesia?
Budget about IDR223,123,027 for 3 months in Indonesia (based on a ¥12,124,875 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Indonesia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Indonesia: 4.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Indonesia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Indonesia safe for expats?
Japan performs better than Indonesia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Indonesia is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 63% of people in Indonesia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to Japan?
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Indonesia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 6.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Indonesia, compared to 26.1 in Japan. Indonesia scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Indonesia compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Indonesia?
The official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
