Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Indonesia Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Indonesia

Name: Indonesia
Address: ID

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $713 in China versus $769 in Indonesia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $1,247 in Indonesia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $1,724 in Indonesia.

Living in China costs about 7% less than in Indonesia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Indonesia 43% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Indonesia: monthly costs span $473 to $1,744, compared to $535–$1,206 in China. City choice carries more weight in Indonesia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.36

$1.89 Rp 33.9K

51.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ¥158

$15.09 Rp 270.4K

54.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.66

$3.46 Rp 62.0K

39.60%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.52

$1.71 Rp 30.7K

77.78%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

-21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.27 Rp 4,836

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ¥6.71

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

-58.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.74

$3.66 Rp 65.6K

-44.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.86

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

36.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.56

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

10.23%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.45

$1.54 Rp 27.7K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 ¥89.9

$7.98 Rp 142.9K

66.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.69

$3.24 Rp 58.0K

-0.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 ¥73.0

$8.05 Rp 144.3K

34.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.27

$2.57 Rp 46.1K

-29.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.84

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

-7.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$1.82 Rp 32.7K

-17.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.74

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

-13.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

-45.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.86

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

-60.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

-32.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.42 Rp 7,544

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.88

$2.58 Rp 46.2K

36.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 ¥79.2

$16.27 Rp 291.4K

-28.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.67

$2.18 Rp 39.1K

-61.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.29

$3.06 Rp 54.9K

-45.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$0.30 Rp 5,346

36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

$9.42 Rp 168.7K

120.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.21

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

112.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$0.35 Rp 6,206

-5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 ¥46.40

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

119.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$0.79 Rp 14.1K

41.77%

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

$19.2K ¥129.8K

$24.9K Rp 446.7M

-23.04%

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

$16.9K ¥114.4K

$29.9K Rp 535.2M

-43.35%

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

$51.8 ¥350

$68.7 Rp 1.2M

-24.57%

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

$9.85 ¥66.6

$4.62 Rp 82.7K

113.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 ¥75.3

$23.15 Rp 414.7K

-51.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.10 ¥264

$23.84 Rp 427.2K

64.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ¥101

$7.62 Rp 136.5K

95.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ¥42.24

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

99.04%

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

$404 ¥2,732

$108 Rp 1.9M

274.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.5K

$5,938 Rp 106.4M

200.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.11 ¥312

$43.51 Rp 779.5K

5.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 ¥218

$28.75 Rp 515.1K

12.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ¥491

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

4.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥493

$68.0 Rp 1.2M

7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥3,009

$304 Rp 5.4M

46.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ¥1,727

$181 Rp 3.2M

41.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,266

$793 Rp 14.2M

16.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ¥3,600

$456 Rp 8.2M

16.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,943 ¥33.4K

$1,777 Rp 31.8M

178.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 ¥16.9K

$1,032 Rp 18.5M

141.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,057 ¥7,148

$254 Rp 4.5M

316.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

9.36

-56.62%

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

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Last update for Indonesia: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $370 in Indonesia. Capital cities: $913 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $380 in Jakarta.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $228 in Indonesia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 29% higher in Indonesia.

Dining out costs 40% more in China.

Public transport is 80% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 278% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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

China vs Indonesia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $871 per month in China and $1,109 in Indonesia, there's a 27% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Indonesia beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Indonesia, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Indonesia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.