Moving to Indonesia from Singapore
What to Expect
Considering a move from Singapore to Indonesia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Singapore to Indonesia, you would find that Indonesia is 65.9% cheaper than Singapore overall. A SGD95,760 salary in Singapore would need to be roughly IDR278,744,062 in Indonesia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Indonesian.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Singapore and Indonesia.
What does your salary buy?
SGD95,760 → IDR278,744,062
To maintain the same standard of living in Indonesia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 68.6% less
Groceries
pay 49.6% less
Transportation
pay 73.4% less
Housing
pay 70.0% less
Childcare
pay 85.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 73.3% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Singapore 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
-
5.23,681
Singapore
- 23,681
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Indonesia compared to Singapore.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Singapore 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Singapore 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
Singapore 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
Singapore 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
Singapore generally does better on employment & economy, though Indonesia leads in unemployment 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Singapore generally does better on family life, though Indonesia leads in education spending.
Data: Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, 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 | Singapore | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Singapore | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) |
| Feb | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) |
| Mar | 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) |
| Apr | 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) |
| May | 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) |
| Aug | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service Singapore,
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Singapore 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.
Singapore passport holder visiting Indonesia
Visa Free
Indonesia passport holder visiting Singapore
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 Singapore?
On average Indonesia is about 79% less expensive than Singapore, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Indonesia?
Budget about IDR69,686,016 for 3 months in Indonesia (based on a SGD95,760 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, 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?
Singapore performs better than Indonesia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Indonesia is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.1 in Singapore.
How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to Singapore?
Singapore 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 26.0 in Singapore. Indonesia scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Singapore: 89).
What's the weather like in Indonesia compared to Singapore?
The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 89°F in Singapore. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Singapore gets 83.2 in.
What language do they speak in Indonesia?
The official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. In Singapore, the official languages are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil.
