Moving to Indonesia from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to Indonesia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to Indonesia, you would find that Indonesia is 61.5% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly IDR501,464,054 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 66°F in Washington, making it significantly warmer.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from United States to Indonesia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → IDR501,464,054
To maintain the same standard of living in Indonesia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 80.8% less
Groceries
pay 46.2% less
Transportation
pay 49.3% less
Housing
pay 77.0% less
Childcare
pay 83.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 66.2% 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.
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 70% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to Indonesia, based on official data.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to Indonesia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Indonesia generally does better on safety, though United States leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States 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
share of households with internet
United States 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
share of people below the poverty line
Indonesia generally does better on employment & economy, though United States 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
United States performs better than Indonesia across all family life metrics.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°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 United States?
Yes — Indonesia is on average about 63% cheaper than United States. 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 IDR125,366,014 in Indonesia on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and 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?
Indonesia generally does better on safety, though United States leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Indonesia is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States. About 63% of people in Indonesia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to United States?
Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 6.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Indonesia, compared to 36.1 in United States. Indonesia scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Indonesia compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Indonesia?
The official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. In United States, the official language is English.
