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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $849 per month in Jakarta vs $511 in Karawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,389 per month in Jakarta vs $774 in Karawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,929 per month in Jakarta vs $1,037 in Karawang, rent included.

Jakarta costs about 66% 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

$3.02 Rp 52.1K

$1.33 Rp 22.9K

127.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.34 Rp 316.6K

$9.19 Rp 158.7K

99.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.51 Rp 60.5K

$3.30 Rp 56.9K

6.36%

Cappuccino

$2.14 Rp 37.0K

$1.45 Rp 25.0K

47.59%

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

$0.52 Rp 8,915

$0.47 Rp 8,170

10.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 4,854

$0.24 Rp 4,158

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 47.1K

$3.34 Rp 57.7K

-18.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 Rp 73.5K

$3.45 Rp 59.5K

23.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 Rp 24.1K

$1.22 Rp 21.1K

13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 20.0K

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

9.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$0.87 Rp 15.1K

18.39%

Eggs

$1.87 Rp 32.3K

$1.57 Rp 27.1K

19.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 Rp 108.6K

$3.02 Rp 52.2K

108.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 Rp 53.9K

$3.08 Rp 53.2K

1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 Rp 135.6K

$7.65 Rp 132.0K

2.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 Rp 49.3K

$2.05 Rp 35.3K

39.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 26.8K

$1.19 Rp 20.5K

30.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.41 Rp 24.3K

55.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 25.7K

$0.58 Rp 9,960

156.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.3K

$0.99 Rp 17.1K

82.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 Rp 45.4K

$1.75 Rp 30.2K

50.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.89 Rp 15.4K

19.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,249

$0.45 Rp 7,780

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 Rp 51.1K

$2.53 Rp 43.8K

17.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.32 Rp 385.5K

$23.18 Rp 400.3K

-3.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 Rp 38.5K

$2.04 Rp 35.2K

9.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 Rp 52.8K

$3.54 Rp 61.1K

-13.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 Rp 3,610

$0.65 Rp 11.2K

-67.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 Rp 214.4K

$9.88 Rp 170.7K

25.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,270

$0.72 Rp 12.4K

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,472

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

-51.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 Rp 54.2K

$1.27 Rp 21.9K

147.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.4K

$0.79 Rp 13.6K

-1.27%

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

$30.1K Rp 520.5M

$24.2K Rp 417.4M

24.72%

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

$32.4K Rp 559.5M

$26.3K Rp 453.2M

23.45%

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

$89.7 Rp 1.5M

$44.20 Rp 763.1K

102.94%

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

$6.56 Rp 113.3K

$4.63 Rp 80.0K

41.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.10 Rp 467.9K

$13.79 Rp 238.1K

96.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.54 Rp 527.3K

$22.20 Rp 383.3K

37.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.74 Rp 220.0K

$15.09 Rp 260.6K

-15.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 Rp 52.4K

$3.14 Rp 54.3K

-3.18%

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

$169 Rp 2.9M

$47.65 Rp 822.8K

255.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,651 Rp 166.6M

$7,597 Rp 131.2M

27.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 Rp 974.7K

$18.16 Rp 313.6K

210.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.55 Rp 579.3K

$31.10 Rp 537.0K

7.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 Rp 1.5M

$54.8 Rp 946.5K

54.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 Rp 1.5M

$54.0 Rp 932.2K

63.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 Rp 6.5M

$156 Rp 2.7M

141.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 Rp 4.1M

$76.4 Rp 1.3M

212.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 Rp 20.3M

$249 Rp 4.3M

371.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.4M

$123 Rp 2.1M

434.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,777 Rp 48.0M

$1,198 Rp 20.7M

131.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,418 Rp 24.5M

$722 Rp 12.5M

96.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$476 Rp 8.2M

$426 Rp 7.4M

11.82%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Karawang: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $377 in Jakarta versus $156 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 12% 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: $217 vs $185 – 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 66% 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 $1,274 per month in Jakarta and $766 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 $169 per month in Jakarta and $47.65 in Karawang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $849 in Jakarta and $511 in Karawang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karawang costs $511 versus $849 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.