Moving to Indonesia from South Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Korea to Indonesia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Korea to Indonesia, you would find that Indonesia is 47.6% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩113,056,500 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly IDR781,870,055 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 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Korea to Indonesia.
What does your salary buy?
₩113,056,500 → IDR781,870,055
To maintain the same standard of living in Indonesia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 59.1% less
Groceries
pay 52.5% less
Transportation
pay 41.6% less
Housing
pay 39.6% less
Childcare
pay 66.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.9% 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?
Real numbers on people moving from South Korea to Indonesia, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Indonesia?
Top countries of origin for Indonesia's foreign-born residents.
- 76,028
-
2.33,580
South Korea
- 32,911
- 23,681
- 23,681
- 23,681
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Korea and Indonesia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Indonesia leads in top income tax 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
South Korea performs better than Indonesia across all family life metrics.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, 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 | Seoul | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting Indonesia
Visa on Arrival
Indonesia passport holder visiting South Korea
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 South Korea?
Generally yes: Indonesia runs about 42% cheaper than South Korea 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 ₩113,056,500 comparable salary, that's around IDR195,467,514 in Indonesia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Indonesia?
With 4.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Indonesia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in South Korea and Indonesia.
Is Indonesia safe for expats?
South Korea performs better than Indonesia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Indonesia is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea. About 63% of people in Indonesia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to South Korea?
South Korea 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 25.2 in South Korea. Indonesia scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Indonesia compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Indonesia?
The official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
