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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $640 per month in Medan vs $840 in Jakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $988 per month in Medan vs $1,379 in Jakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,336 per month in Medan vs $1,919 in Jakarta, rent included.

Medan is about 24% cheaper than Jakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medan and Jakarta are more affordable than the global median – Medan 52% lower, Jakarta 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

-39.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.72 Rp 191.8K

$18.11 Rp 323.9K

-40.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 58.7K

$3.46 Rp 62.0K

-5.20%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

-14.29%

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

$0.39 Rp 7,031

$0.55 Rp 9,863

-29.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,855

$0.28 Rp 5,063

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.82 Rp 50.5K

-45.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 Rp 93.8K

$4.21 Rp 75.3K

24.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-11.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$0.95 Rp 16.9K

-12.63%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

-15.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 168.1K

$6.49 Rp 116.1K

44.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 66.4K

$3.23 Rp 57.8K

14.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.83 Rp 122.2K

$7.55 Rp 135.1K

-9.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

$2.93 Rp 52.3K

-20.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.61 Rp 28.7K

-37.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$2.27 Rp 40.6K

-32.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

-43.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

-58.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$2.61 Rp 46.8K

-51.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 Rp 8,138

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

-57.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,778

$0.46 Rp 8,247

6.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.3K

$2.99 Rp 53.6K

-17.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 Rp 284.5K

$20.56 Rp 367.8K

-22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 Rp 24.3K

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.7K

$3.24 Rp 58.0K

-2.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,810

$0.21 Rp 3,743

52.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 Rp 171.5K

$12.21 Rp 218.4K

-21.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$0.54 Rp 9,579

7.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,944

$0.37 Rp 6,650

-40.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 Rp 110.5K

$3.12 Rp 55.7K

97.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

2.50%

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

$28.0K Rp 501.3M

$30.2K Rp 540.3M

-7.22%

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

$33.9K Rp 606.5M

$32.7K Rp 585.3M

3.61%

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

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

-6.45%

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

$3.67 Rp 65.7K

$6.51 Rp 116.4K

-43.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.25 Rp 612.7K

$27.21 Rp 486.7K

25.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 Rp 415.1K

$29.97 Rp 536.2K

-22.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 Rp 127.4K

$12.61 Rp 225.7K

-43.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

$3.10 Rp 55.4K

12.58%

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

$123 Rp 2.2M

$166 Rp 3.0M

-26.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

$9,566 Rp 171.1M

10.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

15.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.18 Rp 754.5K

$33.85 Rp 605.5K

24.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 Rp 2.1M

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

40.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

-27.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$381 Rp 6.8M

-48.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 Rp 1.8M

$236 Rp 4.2M

-57.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 Rp 9.5M

$1,152 Rp 20.6M

-53.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.2M

$660 Rp 11.8M

-64.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 Rp 19.8M

$2,958 Rp 52.9M

-62.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$550 Rp 9.8M

$1,431 Rp 25.6M

-61.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 Rp 3.8M

$421 Rp 7.5M

-49.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

9.59

-3.55%

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

Last update for Medan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $196 in Medan versus $381 in Jakarta. 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 98% 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 $11.00 in Medan versus $18.00 in Jakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $214 – 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

Medan vs Jakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakarta costs about 31% 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 $961 per month in Medan and $1,260 in Jakarta. 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 $123 per month in Medan and $166 in Jakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $640 in Medan and $840 in Jakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medan costs $640 versus $840 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.