Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Binjai Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Binjai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $815 in Jakarta versus $630 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,325 in Jakarta versus $999 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,834 in Jakarta versus $1,368 in Binjai.

Living in Jakarta is roughly 29% more expensive than in Binjai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jakarta 40% lower, Binjai 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.49 Rp 44.0K

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

33.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.86 Rp 280.9K

$13.39 Rp 237.1K

18.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.43 Rp 60.8K

$3.68 Rp 65.1K

-6.79%

Cappuccino

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

37.33%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,520

$0.42 Rp 7,358

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,614

$0.21 Rp 3,645

23.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 Rp 47.0K

$2.50 Rp 44.3K

6.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 Rp 68.9K

$3.75 Rp 66.3K

3.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

26.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$1.25 Rp 22.2K

-8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 14.9K

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

16.67%

Eggs

$1.76 Rp 31.1K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

36.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 Rp 173.8K

$6.58 Rp 116.5K

49.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 Rp 53.0K

$2.74 Rp 48.6K

9.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 Rp 135.7K

$8.08 Rp 143.1K

-5.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 Rp 50.8K

$2.15 Rp 38.0K

33.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

-2.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 Rp 46.9K

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

80.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.3K

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

4.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

$1.22 Rp 21.6K

10.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 Rp 37.2K

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 Rp 16.5K

$0.85 Rp 15.1K

9.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,092

$0.37 Rp 6,537

37.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 Rp 50.4K

$2.83 Rp 50.1K

0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.74 Rp 384.9K

$21.70 Rp 384.2K

0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 Rp 57.0K

$2.64 Rp 46.7K

21.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,206

$0.25 Rp 4,483

16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 Rp 207.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,420

$0.56 Rp 9,978

-5.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 Rp 6,293

$0.30 Rp 5,244

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Rp 58.4K

$2.66 Rp 47.1K

24.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

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

$28.7K Rp 507.9M

$26.2K Rp 464.1M

9.43%

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

$33.4K Rp 590.9M

$27.8K Rp 491.5M

20.22%

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

$108 Rp 1.9M

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

55.52%

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

$6.07 Rp 107.5K

$4.25 Rp 75.3K

42.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.01 Rp 336.7K

$19.66 Rp 348.1K

-3.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.63 Rp 471.5K

$19.67 Rp 348.2K

35.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.81 Rp 244.5K

$7.88 Rp 139.6K

75.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$3.16 Rp 55.9K

8.86%

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

$155 Rp 2.7M

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

68.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,224 Rp 145.6M

$7,718 Rp 136.7M

6.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 Rp 1.1M

$39.81 Rp 704.9K

50.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 Rp 506.9K

$25.09 Rp 444.2K

14.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

$70.1 Rp 1.2M

4.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 Rp 1.9M

$64.3 Rp 1.1M

70.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 Rp 6.4M

$248 Rp 4.4M

46.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 Rp 3.6M

$141 Rp 2.5M

44.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 Rp 20.9M

$645 Rp 11.4M

82.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 Rp 10.3M

$381 Rp 6.7M

52.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,009 Rp 53.3M

$1,248 Rp 22.1M

141.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 Rp 26.2M

$579 Rp 10.2M

155.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$460 Rp 8.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

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

Last update for Jakarta: September 12, 2026

Last update for Binjai: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $363 in Jakarta and $248 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16.00 in Jakarta vs $13.00 in Binjai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $194 per month, with Binjai cheaper across the board.

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

Jakarta vs Binjai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binjai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,223 in Jakarta and $945 in Binjai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $363 in Jakarta versus $248 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Jakarta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $815 per month in Jakarta versus $630 in Binjai – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Binjai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Binjai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Jakarta, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Jakarta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.