Moving to Indonesia from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Indonesia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Indonesia, you would find that Indonesia is 49.2% cheaper than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,486 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly IDR588,715,160 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.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,486 → IDR588,715,160
To maintain the same standard of living in Indonesia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 55.0% less
Groceries
pay 5.9% less
Transportation
pay 42.6% less
Housing
pay 75.8% less
Childcare
pay 52.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 70.1% 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
The numbers behind daily life in Indonesia compared to United Arab Emirates.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates 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
Indonesia performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates performs better than Indonesia across all employment & economy metrics.
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
United Arab Emirates performs better than Indonesia across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, 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 | Abu Dhabi | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
Data:
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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 Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Indonesia
Visa on Arrival
Indonesia passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: 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 United Arab Emirates?
On average Indonesia is about 56% less expensive than United Arab Emirates, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Indonesia?
Budget about IDR147,178,790 for 3 months in Indonesia (based on a AED275,486 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?
United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates 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 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Indonesia scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Indonesia compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Indonesia?
The official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
