Moving to Indonesia from North Carolina
What to Expect
Considering a move from North Carolina to Indonesia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from North Carolina to Indonesia, you would find that Indonesia is 60.0% cheaper than North Carolina. A $75,000 salary in North Carolina would need to be roughly IDR598,286,281 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 67°F in Asheville, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between North Carolina and Indonesia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → IDR598,286,281
To maintain the same standard of living in Indonesia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 78.9% less
Groceries
pay 47.6% less
Transportation
pay 47.2% less
Housing
pay 75.5% less
Childcare
pay 83.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 62.4% 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 60% less than cities in North Carolina.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from North Carolina 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 North Carolina.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Indonesia performs significantly better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
North Carolina 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
North Carolina generally does better on employment & economy, though Indonesia leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
North Carolina 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 | Asheville | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 52°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/53°F (24°/12°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/38°F (15°/3°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Asheville | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C) | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) |
| Feb | 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C) | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) |
| Mar | 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C) | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) |
| Apr | 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) |
| May | 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) |
| Aug | 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C) | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C) | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C) | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°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 North Carolina?
On average Indonesia is about 55% less expensive than North Carolina, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Indonesia?
Budget about IDR149,571,570 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 North Carolina and Indonesia are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to North Carolina?
Indonesia performs significantly better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Indonesia compared to North Carolina?
The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 67°F in Asheville. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Asheville gets 37.0 in.
What language do they speak in Indonesia?
The official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. In North Carolina, the official language is English.
