Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Semarang Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Semarang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $807 per month in Jakarta vs $581 in Semarang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,308 per month in Jakarta vs $928 in Semarang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,810 per month in Jakarta vs $1,274 in Semarang, rent included.

Jakarta costs about 39% more than Semarang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jakarta and Semarang are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 41% lower, Semarang 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.62 Rp 46.1K

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

80.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.36 Rp 270.5K

$10.54 Rp 185.6K

45.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 Rp 58.3K

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

5.41%

Cappuccino

$2.00 Rp 35.2K

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

61.29%

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

$0.43 Rp 7,567

$0.49 Rp 8,635

-12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,202

$0.18 Rp 3,148

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 Rp 48.6K

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

57.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 Rp 71.8K

$3.43 Rp 60.3K

18.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 Rp 24.6K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.3K

$0.96 Rp 16.9K

14.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

12.66%

Eggs

$1.75 Rp 30.9K

$1.38 Rp 24.3K

26.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 Rp 169.8K

$5.66 Rp 99.6K

70.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 Rp 53.4K

$2.36 Rp 41.6K

28.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 Rp 139.5K

$8.16 Rp 143.6K

-2.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 Rp 52.5K

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 23.9K

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 Rp 47.1K

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

47.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 24.0K

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

-12.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 Rp 24.9K

$1.79 Rp 31.5K

-21.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 Rp 37.2K

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

-5.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.0K

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

16.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,102

$0.42 Rp 7,375

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 Rp 51.8K

$2.26 Rp 39.8K

30.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.38 Rp 376.4K

$14.17 Rp 249.5K

50.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.35 Rp 41.4K

-7.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 Rp 54.6K

$2.70 Rp 47.5K

14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,742

$0.24 Rp 4,246

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 Rp 211.0K

$14.32 Rp 252.2K

-16.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,287

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

-40.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,208

$0.29 Rp 5,129

20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 Rp 58.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.7K

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-2.50%

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

$27.7K Rp 488.2M

$23.0K Rp 405.1M

20.53%

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

$33.6K Rp 591.0M

$31.1K Rp 547.6M

7.93%

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

$107 Rp 1.9M

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

56.53%

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

$6.09 Rp 107.2K

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

126.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.62 Rp 345.5K

$20.77 Rp 365.6K

-5.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.95 Rp 474.4K

$21.00 Rp 369.8K

28.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.22 Rp 250.4K

$4.76 Rp 83.8K

198.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.48 Rp 61.2K

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

56.76%

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

$152 Rp 2.7M

$40.97 Rp 721.3K

271.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,459 Rp 148.9M

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

279.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 Rp 1.1M

$28.65 Rp 504.3K

110.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.04 Rp 511.3K

$29.45 Rp 518.4K

-1.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 Rp 1.3M

$58.8 Rp 1.0M

24.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 Rp 1.9M

$39.84 Rp 701.5K

165.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 Rp 6.4M

$229 Rp 4.0M

58.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 Rp 3.5M

$143 Rp 2.5M

39.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Rp 20.2M

$496 Rp 8.7M

131.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 Rp 10.1M

$394 Rp 6.9M

46.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,077 Rp 54.2M

$1,178 Rp 20.7M

161.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,439 Rp 25.3M

$557 Rp 9.8M

158.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$454 Rp 8.0M

$196 Rp 3.5M

131.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

7.83

20.82%

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

Last update for Jakarta: September 5, 2026

Last update for Semarang: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $363 in Jakarta versus $229 in Semarang. 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 132% 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 $15.00 in Jakarta versus $11.00 in Semarang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $183 – making Semarang 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 Semarang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakarta costs about 39% more than Semarang, 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 $1,211 per month in Jakarta and $872 in Semarang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $152 per month in Jakarta and $40.97 in Semarang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $807 in Jakarta and $581 in Semarang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Semarang costs $581 versus $807 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 Semarang. 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.