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: $644 in Jiaxing versus $616 in Batam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,084 in Jiaxing versus $1,017 in Batam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,523 in Jiaxing versus $1,418 in Batam.

Living in Jiaxing is roughly 4% more expensive than in Batam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jiaxing 53% lower, Batam 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 ¥19.84

$2.01 Rp 35.5K

47.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.45 ¥150

$8.68 Rp 153.7K

158.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 ¥37.25

$4.07 Rp 72.0K

36.61%

Cappuccino

$4.02 ¥26.94

$2.14 Rp 38.0K

87.85%

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

$0.48 ¥3.24

$0.62 Rp 11.1K

-22.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.93

$0.31 Rp 5,506

-6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 ¥5.12

$2.60 Rp 46.0K

-70.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.24

$3.72 Rp 65.9K

-38.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥12.50

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

61.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.10

$1.09 Rp 19.3K

79.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

-25.64%

Eggs

$1.85 ¥12.40

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

42.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 ¥48.61

$7.71 Rp 136.5K

-5.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ¥23.40

$2.54 Rp 45.0K

37.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 ¥50.4

$4.61 Rp 81.6K

63.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.31

$2.19 Rp 38.7K

-22.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.31

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

-47.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.76

$2.06 Rp 36.6K

-50.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.64

$1.06 Rp 18.8K

-34.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ¥3.60

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

-44.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.45

$1.99 Rp 35.3K

-59.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ¥3.29

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

-63.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.70

$0.45 Rp 8,033

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.24 ¥35.08

$2.76 Rp 48.8K

89.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.79 ¥78.9

$13.89 Rp 245.9K

-15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

-59.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ¥9.22

$2.49 Rp 44.1K

-44.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ¥1.55

$0.41 Rp 7,309

-43.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.64 ¥111

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ¥7.83

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.83

$0.60 Rp 10.6K

-30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 ¥49.58

$3.58 Rp 63.3K

106.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.92

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

49.37%

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

$19.4K ¥129.9K

$28.5K Rp 504.0M

-31.88%

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

$18.7K ¥125.0K

$24.7K Rp 438.2M

-24.61%

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

$36.81 ¥247

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

-48.85%

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

$11.58 ¥77.6

$4.16 Rp 73.6K

178.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.11 ¥34.22

$23.70 Rp 419.6K

-78.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ¥254

$26.92 Rp 476.7K

40.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.32 ¥49.01

$5.63 Rp 99.7K

30.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.26 ¥35.25

$2.66 Rp 47.0K

97.74%

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

$429 ¥2,874

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

414.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ¥83.3K

$3,257 Rp 57.7M

281.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.56 ¥232

$32.47 Rp 574.9K

6.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.81 ¥146

$19.15 Rp 339.0K

13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 ¥429

$67.0 Rp 1.2M

-4.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.73 ¥300

$25.03 Rp 443.1K

78.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥1,886

$274 Rp 4.8M

2.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 ¥1,217

$149 Rp 2.6M

21.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$745 ¥4,987

$823 Rp 14.6M

-9.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 ¥2,955

$514 Rp 9.1M

-14.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,825 ¥25.6K

$556 Rp 9.8M

587.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,104 ¥14.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ¥4,985

$354 Rp 6.3M

110.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

13.17

-76.23%

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

Last update for Jiaxing: September 14, 2026

Last update for Batam: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Jiaxing and $274 in Batam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jiaxing pays 110% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $22.00 in Jiaxing vs $9.00 in Batam. Groceries flip the comparison at $174 vs $177, 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

Batam is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 110% higher in Jiaxing, 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: $282 in Jiaxing versus $274 in Batam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Jiaxing pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $644 per month in Jiaxing versus $616 in Batam – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Batam 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 Batam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Jiaxing. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.