Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Sibolga Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Sibolga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $836 per month in Jakarta vs $591 in Sibolga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,355 per month in Jakarta vs $944 in Sibolga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,875 per month in Jakarta vs $1,296 in Sibolga, rent included.

Jakarta costs about 41% more than Sibolga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jakarta and Sibolga are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 37% lower, Sibolga 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.00 Rp 54.1K

$1.55 Rp 28.0K

93.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.33 Rp 330.8K

$12.22 Rp 220.7K

50.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.50 Rp 63.3K

$3.48 Rp 62.7K

0.57%

Cappuccino

$2.14 Rp 38.7K

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

28.14%

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

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

$0.51 Rp 9,295

9.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,691

$0.28 Rp 5,108

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 Rp 48.5K

$3.11 Rp 56.1K

-13.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 Rp 78.8K

$2.65 Rp 47.9K

64.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 Rp 23.9K

$1.22 Rp 22.1K

8.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 20.0K

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

-5.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 Rp 18.5K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

9.68%

Eggs

$1.82 Rp 32.9K

$1.59 Rp 28.7K

14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 Rp 114.9K

$8.33 Rp 150.3K

-23.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.15 Rp 56.8K

$2.27 Rp 41.0K

38.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 Rp 142.4K

$9.10 Rp 164.2K

-13.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$2.30 Rp 41.5K

26.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.4K

$1.51 Rp 27.3K

7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.4K

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

18.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 31.4K

$0.71 Rp 12.9K

145.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 Rp 45.5K

$1.53 Rp 27.6K

64.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,159

$0.35 Rp 6,334

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 Rp 53.4K

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

71.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.43 Rp 386.9K

$23.19 Rp 418.7K

-7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 Rp 40.4K

$2.31 Rp 41.7K

-3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 57.1K

$2.33 Rp 42.0K

36.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 Rp 4,159

$0.41 Rp 7,381

-43.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 Rp 219.5K

$9.68 Rp 174.7K

25.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,528

$0.53 Rp 9,591

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,784

$0.37 Rp 6,753

2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 Rp 53.9K

$2.86 Rp 51.7K

4.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.06 Rp 19.2K

-24.53%

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

$30.2K Rp 545.6M

$24.7K Rp 445.4M

22.51%

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

$33.6K Rp 607.0M

$27.3K Rp 492.0M

23.38%

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

$93.0 Rp 1.7M

$26.79 Rp 483.7K

247.14%

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

$6.50 Rp 117.3K

$4.22 Rp 76.2K

54.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.87 Rp 485.0K

$22.81 Rp 411.8K

17.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.66 Rp 535.4K

$23.00 Rp 415.3K

28.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 Rp 222.3K

$6.08 Rp 109.8K

102.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 Rp 54.9K

$3.09 Rp 55.8K

-1.62%

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

$165 Rp 3.0M

$24.11 Rp 435.3K

586.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,773 Rp 176.4M

$7,603 Rp 137.3M

28.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 Rp 1.0M

$15.45 Rp 278.8K

263.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.95 Rp 594.9K

$18.19 Rp 328.3K

81.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

$66.2 Rp 1.2M

24.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 Rp 1.6M

$74.7 Rp 1.3M

21.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 Rp 7.0M

$260 Rp 4.7M

48.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.2M

$159 Rp 2.9M

45.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 Rp 21.1M

$583 Rp 10.5M

100.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 Rp 11.7M

$332 Rp 6.0M

95.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,979 Rp 53.8M

$1,293 Rp 23.3M

130.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,426 Rp 25.7M

$622 Rp 11.2M

129.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$419 Rp 7.6M

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Sibolga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Jakarta versus $260 in Sibolga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Jakarta versus $12.00 in Sibolga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $209 – making Sibolga 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 Sibolga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakarta costs about 41% more than Sibolga, 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 $1,254 per month in Jakarta and $887 in Sibolga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $165 per month in Jakarta and $24.11 in Sibolga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Jakarta, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $836 in Jakarta and $591 in Sibolga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sibolga costs $591 versus $836 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 Sibolga. 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.