Moving to Indonesia from Louisiana

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Louisiana to Indonesia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Louisiana to Indonesia, you would find that Indonesia is 55.3% cheaper than Louisiana. A $75,000 salary in Louisiana would need to be roughly IDR665,473,605 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 79°F in Baton Rouge, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Louisiana to Indonesia.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 IDR665,473,605

To maintain the same standard of living in Indonesia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 78.5% less

Groceries

pay 42.8% less

Transportation

pay 43.0% less

Housing

pay 73.1% less

Childcare

pay 69.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 61.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 17826.3 IDR (June 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Louisiana to Indonesia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
12,697 ↑ 5% vs 2015

people born in United States live in Indonesia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Indonesia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Louisiana and Indonesia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

LA
40.6%
ID
6.9%

Indonesia performs significantly better than Louisiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

LA
84.9%
ID
62.0%

Louisiana performs better than Indonesia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

LA
3.9%
ID
3.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

LA
$55,662
ID
$14,100

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

LA
73.1 yrs
ID
73.1 yrs

Louisiana 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.

Baton Rouge Rain: 60.6 in/yr (1540 mm)
79° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Baton Rouge Jakarta
Jan–Mar 67°/45°F (19°/7°C) 87°/76°F (31°/25°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/64°F (30°/18°C) 90°/77°F (32°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 91°/72°F (33°/22°C) 90°/77°F (32°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) 90°/77°F (32°/25°C)
View all months
Month Baton Rouge Jakarta
Jan 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C)
Feb 66°/44°F (18.7°/6.9°C) 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C)
Mar 73°/50°F (22.6°/10.2°C) 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C)
Apr 79°/57°F (26.3°/13.8°C) 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C)
May 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.4°C) 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C)
Jun 91°/71°F (32.7°/21.9°C) 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C)
Jul 92°/74°F (33.4°/23.2°C) 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C)
Aug 92°/73°F (33.6°/23.0°C) 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C)
Sep 89°/69°F (31.5°/20.3°C) 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C)
Oct 81°/58°F (27.1°/14.4°C) 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C)
Nov 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C)
Dec 64°/43°F (17.8°/5.9°C) 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) 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

United States passport holder visiting Indonesia

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

Indonesia passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Indonesia passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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 Indonesia than Louisiana?

Generally yes: Indonesia runs about 50% cheaper than Louisiana on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Indonesia?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around IDR166,368,401 in Indonesia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Indonesia?

Working remotely from Indonesia's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Louisiana and Indonesia.

How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to Louisiana?

Indonesia performs significantly better than Louisiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Indonesia compared to Louisiana?

The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 79°F in Baton Rouge. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Baton Rouge gets 60.6 in.

What language do they speak in Indonesia?

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

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At a Glance

ID
Population 4,533,372 277,329,163
Currency United States Dollar ($) Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
Languages English Indonesian
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +1 +62
Time zones 11 3
Emergency number 911 112