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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $607 per month in Medan vs $799 in Jakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $933 per month in Medan vs $1,304 in Jakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,260 per month in Medan vs $1,809 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 56% lower, Jakarta 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

$2.61 Rp 46.4K

-34.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

$17.12 Rp 304.1K

-49.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

$3.46 Rp 61.5K

-14.45%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

$1.96 Rp 34.9K

-20.92%

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

$0.34 Rp 6,114

$0.42 Rp 7,467

-19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,458

$0.27 Rp 4,802

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$2.63 Rp 46.7K

-34.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

$3.92 Rp 69.7K

-8.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.42 Rp 25.2K

-23.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

$1.10 Rp 19.6K

3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

$0.92 Rp 16.4K

-9.78%

Eggs

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

-26.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

$9.72 Rp 172.7K

-18.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

$3.01 Rp 53.5K

17.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

$7.78 Rp 138.1K

-17.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

$2.92 Rp 51.9K

-16.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

$1.33 Rp 23.7K

-21.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

$2.66 Rp 47.2K

-44.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

$1.36 Rp 24.2K

-29.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.41 Rp 25.0K

-38.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

$2.10 Rp 37.3K

-17.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 Rp 7,334

$0.99 Rp 17.5K

-58.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,756

$0.48 Rp 8,557

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$2.88 Rp 51.2K

4.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

$21.58 Rp 383.3K

-23.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

$2.15 Rp 38.3K

-10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

$3.05 Rp 54.1K

-0.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,759

$0.27 Rp 4,783

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

$11.93 Rp 212.0K

-49.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,394

$0.49 Rp 8,682

8.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 Rp 3,602

$0.35 Rp 6,300

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 Rp 60.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-1.28%

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

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

$27.9K Rp 496.2M

-10.70%

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

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

$34.1K Rp 604.9M

-7.25%

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

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

$110 Rp 1.9M

-21.14%

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

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

$5.82 Rp 103.5K

-43.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

$19.33 Rp 343.4K

20.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

$26.69 Rp 474.2K

-36.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

$14.24 Rp 253.0K

-38.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

4.26%

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

$114 Rp 2.0M

$156 Rp 2.8M

-26.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

$8,348 Rp 148.3M

-79.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

$60.2 Rp 1.1M

-6.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

$30.59 Rp 543.4K

28.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 Rp 1.9M

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

42.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Rp 2.0M

$107 Rp 1.9M

7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 Rp 3.1M

$364 Rp 6.5M

-51.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$199 Rp 3.5M

-55.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 Rp 8.8M

$1,178 Rp 20.9M

-57.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 Rp 3.8M

$577 Rp 10.3M

-63.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

$3,054 Rp 54.3M

-62.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 Rp 10.1M

$1,485 Rp 26.4M

-61.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$454 Rp 8.1M

-52.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

9.46

-2.22%

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

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Medan versus $364 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 112% 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 $9.00 in Medan versus $17.00 in Jakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $222 – 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 32% 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 $911 per month in Medan and $1,198 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 $114 per month in Medan and $156 in Jakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $607 in Medan and $799 in Jakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medan costs $607 versus $799 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.