Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Karawang Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Karawang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $836 per month in Jakarta vs $500 in Karawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,355 per month in Jakarta vs $745 in Karawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,875 per month in Jakarta vs $991 in Karawang, rent included.

Jakarta costs about 67% more than Karawang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jakarta and Karawang are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 37% lower, Karawang 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.00 Rp 54.2K

$1.28 Rp 23.1K

134.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.33 Rp 331.4K

$9.36 Rp 169.2K

95.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.50 Rp 63.4K

$3.48 Rp 62.9K

0.57%

Cappuccino

$2.14 Rp 38.7K

$1.43 Rp 25.9K

49.65%

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

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

$0.48 Rp 8,724

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,699

$0.24 Rp 4,343

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 Rp 48.6K

$3.34 Rp 60.3K

-19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 78.9K

$3.52 Rp 63.6K

23.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 Rp 23.9K

$1.23 Rp 22.3K

7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 20.0K

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

3.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 Rp 18.5K

$0.89 Rp 16.2K

14.61%

Eggs

$1.82 Rp 33.0K

$1.59 Rp 28.8K

14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 Rp 115.1K

$3.01 Rp 54.5K

111.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.15 Rp 56.9K

$3.11 Rp 56.2K

1.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 Rp 142.6K

$8.02 Rp 145.0K

-1.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 Rp 52.8K

$1.95 Rp 35.3K

49.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.5K

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

42.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.4K

$1.35 Rp 24.5K

65.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

$0.52 Rp 9,462

186.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 31.5K

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

75.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 Rp 45.6K

$1.67 Rp 30.2K

50.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.90 Rp 16.3K

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,172

$0.43 Rp 7,740

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 Rp 53.5K

$2.58 Rp 46.6K

14.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.43 Rp 387.6K

$22.29 Rp 403.0K

-3.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.02 Rp 36.4K

10.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 57.2K

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

-10.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 Rp 4,166

$0.65 Rp 11.8K

-64.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 Rp 219.8K

$9.73 Rp 176.0K

24.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,544

$0.75 Rp 13.6K

-29.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,795

$0.71 Rp 12.9K

-46.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 Rp 54.0K

$1.20 Rp 21.7K

149.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.5K

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-1.23%

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

$30.2K Rp 546.5M

$24.4K Rp 442.1M

23.62%

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

$33.6K Rp 608.0M

$25.7K Rp 464.5M

30.89%

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

$93.0 Rp 1.7M

$44.10 Rp 797.4K

110.88%

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

$6.50 Rp 117.5K

$4.48 Rp 81.0K

45.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.87 Rp 485.8K

$13.61 Rp 246.1K

97.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.66 Rp 536.2K

$22.08 Rp 399.2K

34.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 Rp 222.6K

$6.14 Rp 110.9K

100.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 Rp 55.0K

$3.14 Rp 56.8K

-3.18%

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

$165 Rp 3.0M

$47.75 Rp 863.4K

246.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,773 Rp 176.7M

$7,453 Rp 134.8M

31.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 Rp 1.0M

$18.52 Rp 334.9K

203.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.95 Rp 595.9K

$31.21 Rp 564.3K

5.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

$54.7 Rp 989.2K

51.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 Rp 1.6M

$52.9 Rp 956.3K

71.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 Rp 7.0M

$154 Rp 2.8M

149.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.2M

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

203.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 Rp 21.2M

$244 Rp 4.4M

381.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 Rp 11.7M

$123 Rp 2.2M

427.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,979 Rp 53.9M

$1,135 Rp 20.5M

162.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,426 Rp 25.8M

$767 Rp 13.9M

85.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$419 Rp 7.6M

$411 Rp 7.4M

1.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

9.15

4.81%

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

Last update for Jakarta: July 25, 2026

Last update for Karawang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Jakarta versus $154 in Karawang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Jakarta, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Jakarta versus $9.00 in Karawang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $183 – making Karawang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Karawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakarta costs about 67% more than Karawang, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,254 per month in Jakarta and $751 in Karawang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karawang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $165 per month in Jakarta and $47.75 in Karawang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Jakarta, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $836 in Jakarta and $500 in Karawang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karawang costs $500 versus $836 in Jakarta. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Karawang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jakarta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.