Moving to Indonesia from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to Indonesia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to Indonesia, you would find that Indonesia is 55.6% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$125,240 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly IDR676,157,986 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 62°F in Wellington, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Zealand to Indonesia.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$125,240 → IDR676,157,986
To maintain the same standard of living in Indonesia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 77.2% less
Groceries
pay 31.1% less
Transportation
pay 53.2% less
Housing
pay 64.3% less
Childcare
pay 69.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 61.2% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to Indonesia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Indonesia leads in homicide rate.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Indonesia generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand 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
New Zealand performs better than Indonesia across all family life metrics.
Data: New Zealand Inland Revenue Department, 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 | Wellington | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Indonesia
Visa on Arrival
Indonesia passport holder visiting New Zealand
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 New Zealand?
Yes — Indonesia is on average about 49% cheaper than New Zealand. 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 IDR169,039,496 in Indonesia on a NZ$125,240 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Indonesia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Indonesia has 4.9 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 Indonesia safe for expats?
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Indonesia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Indonesia is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand 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 35.7 in New Zealand. Indonesia scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Indonesia compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Indonesia?
The official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
