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: $660 in Batam versus $639 in Jiaxing.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,103 in Batam versus $1,087 in Jiaxing.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,546 in Batam versus $1,535 in Jiaxing.

Living in Batam is roughly 3% more expensive than in Jiaxing, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Batam 51% lower, Jiaxing 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.79 Rp 50.1K

$2.78 ¥18.78

0.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.30 Rp 167.2K

$20.62 ¥139

-54.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.54 Rp 63.5K

$4.85 ¥32.78

-27.01%

Cappuccino

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$3.15 ¥21.26

-29.84%

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

$1.33 Rp 24.0K

$0.42 ¥2.82

216.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,356

$0.24 ¥1.61

70.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 Rp 50.4K

$0.72 ¥4.84

288.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 Rp 72.3K

$1.76 ¥11.88

128.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$2.32 ¥15.68

-47.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.93 ¥13.02

-37.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

$0.58 ¥3.92

46.55%

Eggs

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

$1.53 ¥10.35

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$7.09 ¥47.93

14.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.66 Rp 47.7K

$2.85 ¥19.29

-6.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.82 Rp 86.7K

$9.18 ¥62.0

-47.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 42.7K

$1.56 ¥10.55

52.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.6K

$1.23 ¥8.32

83.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 39.2K

$1.14 ¥7.72

91.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

$1.15 ¥7.76

-4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.60 ¥4.04

68.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

$0.93 ¥6.25

132.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

$0.88 ¥5.96

65.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,100

$0.61 ¥4.09

-34.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

$3.40 ¥22.97

-22.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 Rp 245.8K

$10.85 ¥73.3

26.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 Rp 35.5K

$0.68 ¥4.61

189.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 Rp 47.4K

$1.45 ¥9.82

82.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 Rp 8,417

$0.29 ¥1.99

62.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.91 Rp 303.8K

$15.19 ¥103

11.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

$1.09 ¥7.39

15.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 Rp 11.7K

$0.35 ¥2.38

85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 Rp 66.9K

$7.10 ¥47.99

-47.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.16 ¥7.83

-28.45%

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

$29.7K Rp 533.1M

$17.3K ¥116.7K

71.85%

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

$19.2K Rp 344.2M

$14.3K ¥96.4K

34.31%

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

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

$34.65 ¥234

124.44%

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

$3.96 Rp 71.2K

$10.91 ¥73.7

-63.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.92 Rp 465.8K

$4.75 ¥32.10

445.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.33 Rp 545.1K

$34.89 ¥236

-13.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.04 Rp 144.6K

$6.91 ¥46.67

16.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.08 Rp 55.4K

$5.50 ¥37.14

-44.00%

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

$93.3 Rp 1.7M

$406 ¥2,741

-77.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,643 Rp 65.5M

$11.8K ¥80.0K

-69.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.31 Rp 634.6K

$43.20 ¥292

-18.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.55 Rp 369.3K

$33.42 ¥226

-38.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 Rp 1.3M

$68.2 ¥461

6.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.40 Rp 474.4K

$81.9 ¥554

-67.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 Rp 5.3M

$260 ¥1,755

13.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 Rp 3.0M

$167 ¥1,130

-0.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 Rp 16.0M

$713 ¥4,820

24.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Rp 10.1M

$410 ¥2,770

36.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$550 Rp 9.9M

$4,287 ¥29.0K

-87.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,994 ¥13.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$334 Rp 6.0M

$801 ¥5,414

-58.33%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Jiaxing: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $294 in Batam and $260 in Jiaxing. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jiaxing pays 140% 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 $185 vs $182, 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 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 140% lower in Jiaxing. 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: $294 in Batam versus $260 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 11% less than in Batam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $93.3 in Batam versus $406 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 3% less than in Batam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.