Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Medan Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Medan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $825 per month in Jakarta vs $651 in Medan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,356 per month in Jakarta vs $982 in Medan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,888 per month in Jakarta vs $1,313 in Medan, rent included.

Jakarta costs about 27% more than Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jakarta and Medan are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 38% lower, Medan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 Rp 53.6K

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

63.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.68 Rp 334.9K

$10.63 Rp 190.6K

75.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.64 Rp 65.2K

$3.22 Rp 57.7K

13.04%

Cappuccino

$2.17 Rp 38.9K

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

20.56%

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

$0.52 Rp 9,298

$0.40 Rp 7,149

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,645

$0.25 Rp 4,436

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 Rp 48.7K

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

72.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 Rp 77.8K

$5.13 Rp 92.0K

-15.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

16.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

-0.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

12.64%

Eggs

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

14.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.57 Rp 117.8K

$9.78 Rp 175.2K

-32.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 57.8K

$3.88 Rp 69.6K

-16.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 Rp 139.5K

$6.86 Rp 123.0K

13.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.7K

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

23.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

57.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

$1.47 Rp 26.4K

48.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.8K

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

58.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

141.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 Rp 47.0K

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

103.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

$0.46 Rp 8,194

123.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,240

$0.46 Rp 8,232

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 Rp 55.4K

$2.48 Rp 44.4K

24.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.09 Rp 378.0K

$15.75 Rp 282.4K

33.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

63.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

$3.17 Rp 56.8K

-1.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 Rp 4,138

$0.30 Rp 5,338

-23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.12 Rp 217.2K

$9.86 Rp 176.8K

22.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$0.52 Rp 9,380

11.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,169

$0.22 Rp 3,946

54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 Rp 54.7K

$6.27 Rp 112.4K

-51.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

-2.44%

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

$31.3K Rp 560.8M

$28.1K Rp 503.3M

11.43%

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

$32.6K Rp 585.1M

$33.8K Rp 606.6M

-3.54%

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

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

7.19%

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

$6.44 Rp 115.5K

$3.64 Rp 65.3K

76.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.04 Rp 484.7K

$33.53 Rp 601.1K

-19.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.82 Rp 534.6K

$23.40 Rp 419.4K

27.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.45 Rp 223.2K

$7.27 Rp 130.3K

71.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 54.7K

$3.58 Rp 64.1K

-14.80%

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

$167 Rp 3.0M

$126 Rp 2.3M

32.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,722 Rp 174.3M

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

-8.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 Rp 1.0M

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

-13.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.94 Rp 590.4K

$42.49 Rp 761.8K

-22.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

$116 Rp 2.1M

-27.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 Rp 1.6M

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

34.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 Rp 6.9M

$191 Rp 3.4M

101.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 Rp 4.3M

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

141.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 Rp 20.6M

$544 Rp 9.8M

111.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 Rp 11.6M

$231 Rp 4.1M

180.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,787 Rp 50.0M

$1,176 Rp 21.1M

136.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,422 Rp 25.5M

$567 Rp 10.2M

150.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$453 Rp 8.1M

$215 Rp 3.9M

110.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

9.25

3.68%

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

Last update for Jakarta: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $385 in Jakarta versus $191 in Medan. 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 111% 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 $19.00 in Jakarta versus $11.00 in Medan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $187 – making Medan 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 Medan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakarta costs about 27% more than Medan, 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 $1,237 per month in Jakarta and $977 in Medan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $167 per month in Jakarta and $126 in Medan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $825 in Jakarta and $651 in Medan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medan costs $651 versus $825 in Jakarta. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medan. 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.