Moving to Indonesia from Massachusetts
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Massachusetts to Indonesia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Massachusetts to Indonesia, you would find that Indonesia is 63.1% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly IDR506,587,793 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 59°F in Boston, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Massachusetts to Indonesia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → IDR506,587,793
To maintain the same standard of living in Indonesia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 82.0% less
Groceries
pay 48.5% less
Transportation
pay 48.6% less
Housing
pay 79.1% less
Childcare
pay 85.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 70.5% 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 67% less than cities in Massachusetts.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Massachusetts to Indonesia, based on official data.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Massachusetts to Indonesia.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Indonesia performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Massachusetts 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
Indonesia generally does better on employment & economy, though Massachusetts leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Massachusetts 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 | Boston | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Boston | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) |
| Feb | 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) |
| Mar | 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) |
| May | 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) |
| Aug | 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°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 Massachusetts?
Yes — Indonesia is on average about 62% cheaper than Massachusetts. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Indonesia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly IDR126,646,948 in Indonesia on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Indonesia?
Usually fine from major cities in Indonesia. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to Massachusetts?
Indonesia performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Indonesia compared to Massachusetts?
The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Indonesia?
The official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. In Massachusetts, the official language is English.
