Cost of Living Comparison Between Batam and Jiaxing Cost of Living Comparison Between Batam and Jiaxing

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $664 in Batam versus $657 in Jiaxing.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in Batam versus $1,095 in Jiaxing.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,600 in Batam versus $1,533 in Jiaxing.

Living in Batam is roughly 1% more expensive than Jiaxing, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Batam 50% lower, Jiaxing 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$2.86 ¥19.35

-2.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.36 Rp 167.7K

$20.78 ¥141

-54.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 Rp 65.1K

$4.86 ¥32.89

-25.31%

Cappuccino

$2.11 Rp 37.9K

$3.20 ¥21.64

-34.06%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 Rp 23.0K

$0.45 ¥3.03

184.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,417

$0.26 ¥1.77

57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$0.68 ¥4.63

313.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 Rp 72.8K

$1.79 ¥12.10

126.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.34 ¥15.85

-48.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

$1.94 ¥13.10

-38.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$0.53 ¥3.61

62.26%

Eggs

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

$1.53 ¥10.35

-11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 Rp 144.4K

$6.99 ¥47.31

15.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.65 Rp 47.5K

$2.74 ¥18.56

-3.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.91 Rp 88.1K

$9.02 ¥61.0

-45.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

$1.62 ¥10.96

47.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 39.2K

$1.27 ¥8.60

71.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 39.9K

$1.18 ¥7.99

88.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

$1.14 ¥7.68

0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

$0.59 ¥4.01

67.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

$0.96 ¥6.48

118.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

$0.80 ¥5.40

82.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,145

$0.56 ¥3.82

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$3.57 ¥24.17

-23.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 Rp 255.9K

$11.03 ¥74.6

29.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 Rp 35.0K

$0.69 ¥4.64

182.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 Rp 46.7K

$1.47 ¥9.98

77.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 Rp 8,359

$0.29 ¥1.97

62.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.67 Rp 298.8K

$15.41 ¥104

8.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

$1.13 ¥7.62

7.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

$0.38 ¥2.57

65.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 Rp 67.0K

$6.76 ¥45.77

-44.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.12 ¥7.58

-32.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.8K Rp 533.5M

$16.8K ¥113.6K

77.35%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$18.7K Rp 335.2M

$14.5K ¥98.2K

28.86%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$75.5 Rp 1.4M

$34.35 ¥233

119.74%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.13 Rp 74.1K

$11.13 ¥75.3

-62.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.19 Rp 451.5K

$4.76 ¥32.23

429.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.45 Rp 527.9K

$34.36 ¥233

-14.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.27 Rp 148.3K

$7.14 ¥48.31

15.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

$5.44 ¥36.81

-42.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$91.3 Rp 1.6M

$401 ¥2,715

-77.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,649 Rp 65.4M

$11.7K ¥79.0K

-68.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.38 Rp 634.1K

$43.33 ¥293

-18.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.60 Rp 369.3K

$32.67 ¥221

-36.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

$69.0 ¥467

4.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.15 Rp 468.7K

$82.6 ¥559

-68.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 Rp 5.4M

$267 ¥1,810

12.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 Rp 2.9M

$169 ¥1,147

-4.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 Rp 16.4M

$711 ¥4,810

28.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 Rp 10.0M

$418 ¥2,830

32.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$563 Rp 10.1M

$4,230 ¥28.6K

-86.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥13.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 Rp 6.2M

$825 ¥5,586

-58.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.88

3.87

258.66%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Batam: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jiaxing: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $300 in Batam and $267 in Jiaxing. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jiaxing pays 138% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Batam vs $21.00 in Jiaxing. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $181, with Jiaxing cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Batam vs Jiaxing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jiaxing is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Jiaxing earns 138% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $300 in Batam versus $267 in Jiaxing. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Jiaxing runs roughly 8% less than in Batam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $91.3 in Batam versus $401 in Jiaxing. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Jiaxing gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Jiaxing gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Batam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.