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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $799 per month in Jakarta vs $607 in Medan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,304 per month in Jakarta vs $933 in Medan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,809 per month in Jakarta vs $1,260 in Medan, rent included.

Jakarta costs about 32% more than Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jakarta and Medan are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 42% lower, Medan 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.61 Rp 46.4K

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

51.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.12 Rp 304.1K

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

96.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.46 Rp 61.5K

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

16.89%

Cappuccino

$1.96 Rp 34.9K

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

26.45%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,467

$0.34 Rp 6,114

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.25 Rp 4,458

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.7K

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

52.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 Rp 69.7K

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

9.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 Rp 25.2K

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

31.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.6K

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

-3.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 Rp 16.4K

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

10.84%

Eggs

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

35.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 Rp 172.7K

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

22.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 Rp 53.5K

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

-14.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 Rp 138.1K

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

20.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 Rp 51.9K

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

20.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.7K

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 Rp 47.2K

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

79.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 24.2K

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

41.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 Rp 25.0K

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

62.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 Rp 37.3K

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

20.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.5K

$0.41 Rp 7,334

141.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Rp 8,557

$0.44 Rp 7,756

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 Rp 51.2K

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

-4.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.58 Rp 383.3K

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

31.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 Rp 38.3K

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 Rp 54.1K

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

0.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,783

$0.27 Rp 4,759

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.93 Rp 212.0K

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

96.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,682

$0.53 Rp 9,394

-7.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,300

$0.20 Rp 3,602

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 Rp 60.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

1.30%

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

$27.9K Rp 496.2M

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

11.98%

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

$34.1K Rp 604.9M

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

7.82%

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

$110 Rp 1.9M

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

26.81%

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

$5.82 Rp 103.5K

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

76.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.33 Rp 343.4K

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

-17.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.69 Rp 474.2K

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

56.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.24 Rp 253.0K

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

63.87%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

-4.08%

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

$156 Rp 2.8M

$114 Rp 2.0M

36.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,348 Rp 148.3M

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

385.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 Rp 1.1M

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

6.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.59 Rp 543.4K

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

-21.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

$105 Rp 1.9M

-29.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Rp 1.9M

$115 Rp 2.0M

-7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 Rp 6.5M

$177 Rp 3.1M

105.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 Rp 3.5M

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

124.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 Rp 20.9M

$497 Rp 8.8M

137.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 Rp 10.3M

$211 Rp 3.8M

173.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,054 Rp 54.3M

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

166.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,485 Rp 26.4M

$571 Rp 10.1M

159.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$454 Rp 8.1M

$214 Rp 3.8M

111.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

9.25

2.27%

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

Last update for Jakarta: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $364 in Jakarta versus $177 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 112% 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 $17.00 in Jakarta versus $9.00 in Medan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $182 – 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 32% 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 $1,198 per month in Jakarta and $911 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 $156 per month in Jakarta and $114 in Medan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $799 in Jakarta and $607 in Medan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medan costs $607 versus $799 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.