Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Malang Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Malang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $840 per month in Jakarta vs $475 in Malang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,379 per month in Jakarta vs $746 in Malang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,919 per month in Jakarta vs $1,017 in Malang, rent included.

Jakarta costs about 77% more than Malang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jakarta and Malang are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 37% lower, Malang 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 Rp 56.0K

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

148.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.11 Rp 325.4K

$12.34 Rp 221.8K

46.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.46 Rp 62.3K

$2.98 Rp 53.6K

16.11%

Cappuccino

$2.10 Rp 37.8K

$1.40 Rp 25.1K

50.00%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,908

$0.61 Rp 11.0K

-9.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,086

$0.22 Rp 3,934

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

$2.50 Rp 45.0K

12.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 Rp 75.7K

$3.14 Rp 56.5K

34.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

18.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

-23.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

9.20%

Eggs

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

18.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 Rp 116.7K

$6.30 Rp 113.2K

3.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 Rp 135.7K

$7.06 Rp 126.8K

6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

22.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.8K

$1.69 Rp 30.3K

34.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

30.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

45.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$0.55 Rp 9,853

92.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,284

$0.45 Rp 8,032

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.48 Rp 44.5K

20.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.56 Rp 369.5K

$12.63 Rp 226.9K

62.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

24.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 Rp 58.3K

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

2.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 Rp 3,760

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.21 Rp 219.4K

$6.09 Rp 109.5K

100.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,622

$0.47 Rp 8,466

14.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,681

$0.31 Rp 5,661

19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

$6.32 Rp 113.6K

-50.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

-3.61%

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

$30.2K Rp 542.7M

$20.6K Rp 371.0M

46.29%

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

$32.7K Rp 588.0M

$27.4K Rp 491.7M

19.58%

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

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

$33.49 Rp 601.8K

167.01%

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

$6.51 Rp 116.9K

$2.64 Rp 47.5K

146.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 Rp 488.9K

$19.86 Rp 356.9K

37.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.97 Rp 538.6K

$14.85 Rp 266.8K

101.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.61 Rp 226.7K

$5.03 Rp 90.4K

150.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 Rp 55.7K

$2.21 Rp 39.8K

40.27%

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

$166 Rp 3.0M

$33.25 Rp 597.5K

400.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,566 Rp 171.9M

$9,348 Rp 168.0M

2.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

$42.80 Rp 769.1K

34.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.85 Rp 608.2K

$30.76 Rp 552.8K

10.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$59.4 Rp 1.1M

38.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

$83.5 Rp 1.5M

8.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 Rp 6.8M

$163 Rp 2.9M

133.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 Rp 4.2M

$49.79 Rp 894.8K

374.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 Rp 20.7M

$278 Rp 5.0M

314.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.9M

$92.2 Rp 1.7M

616.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 Rp 53.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,431 Rp 25.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 Rp 7.6M

$198 Rp 3.6M

112.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

139.75%

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

Last update for Jakarta: July 13, 2026

Last update for Malang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Jakarta versus $163 in Malang. 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 113% 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 $12.00 in Malang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $183 – making Malang 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 Malang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakarta costs about 77% more than Malang, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,260 per month in Jakarta and $712 in Malang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $166 per month in Jakarta and $33.25 in Malang. 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $840 in Jakarta and $475 in Malang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malang costs $475 versus $840 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 Malang. 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.