Cost of Living Comparison Between Jiaxing and Batam Cost of Living Comparison Between Jiaxing and Batam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $657 in Jiaxing versus $664 in Batam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,095 in Jiaxing versus $1,132 in Batam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,533 in Jiaxing versus $1,600 in Batam.

Living in Jiaxing costs roughly 1% less than in Batam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jiaxing 51% lower, Batam 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.35

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

2.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.78 ¥141

$9.36 Rp 167.7K

122.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 ¥32.89

$3.63 Rp 65.1K

33.88%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ¥21.64

$2.11 Rp 37.9K

51.66%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$1.28 Rp 23.0K

-64.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ¥1.77

$0.41 Rp 7,417

-36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 ¥4.63

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-75.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ¥12.10

$4.06 Rp 72.8K

-55.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ¥15.85

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

95.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

61.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.53 ¥3.61

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

-38.37%

Eggs

$1.53 ¥10.35

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 ¥47.31

$8.05 Rp 144.4K

-13.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ¥18.56

$2.65 Rp 47.5K

3.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ¥61.0

$4.91 Rp 88.1K

83.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.96

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

-32.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.60

$2.18 Rp 39.2K

-41.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$2.23 Rp 39.9K

-47.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.68

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

-0.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ¥4.01

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

-40.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.48

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

-54.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 ¥5.40

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

-45.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.82

$0.40 Rp 7,145

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ¥24.17

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

30.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.03 ¥74.6

$14.28 Rp 255.9K

-22.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.64

$1.95 Rp 35.0K

-64.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ¥9.98

$2.61 Rp 46.7K

-43.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.47 Rp 8,359

-38.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.41 ¥104

$16.67 Rp 298.8K

-7.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

-6.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.57

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

-39.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 ¥45.77

$3.74 Rp 67.0K

80.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.58

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

47.37%

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

$16.8K ¥113.6K

$29.8K Rp 533.5M

-43.61%

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

$14.5K ¥98.2K

$18.7K Rp 335.2M

-22.40%

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

$34.35 ¥233

$75.5 Rp 1.4M

-54.49%

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

$11.13 ¥75.3

$4.13 Rp 74.1K

169.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$4.76 ¥32.23

$25.19 Rp 451.5K

-81.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.36 ¥233

$29.45 Rp 527.9K

16.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.14 ¥48.31

$8.27 Rp 148.3K

-13.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.44 ¥36.81

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

74.36%

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

$401 ¥2,715

$91.3 Rp 1.6M

339.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K ¥79.0K

$3,649 Rp 65.4M

219.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.33 ¥293

$35.38 Rp 634.1K

22.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.67 ¥221

$20.60 Rp 369.3K

58.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 ¥467

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

-4.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.6 ¥559

$26.15 Rp 468.7K

215.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 ¥1,810

$300 Rp 5.4M

-10.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 ¥1,147

$161 Rp 2.9M

5.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 ¥4,810

$915 Rp 16.4M

-22.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 ¥2,830

$556 Rp 10.0M

-24.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,230 ¥28.6K

$563 Rp 10.1M

651.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥13.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$825 ¥5,586

$346 Rp 6.2M

138.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

13.88

-72.12%

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

Last update for Jiaxing: June 1, 2026

Last update for Batam: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $267 in Jiaxing and $300 in Batam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jiaxing pays 138% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Jiaxing vs $9.00 in Batam. Groceries flip the comparison at $181 vs $186, with Jiaxing cheaper for home cooking.

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

Jiaxing vs Batam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jiaxing is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Jiaxing pays 138% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $267 in Jiaxing versus $300 in Batam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Jiaxing runs roughly 8% less than in Batam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $401 in Jiaxing versus $91.3 in Batam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Jiaxing gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Jiaxing gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Batam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.