Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Jakarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Jakarta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $681 per month in Pekanbaru vs $840 in Jakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $970 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,379 in Jakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,258 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,919 in Jakarta, rent included.

Pekanbaru is about 19% cheaper than Jakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pekanbaru and Jakarta are more affordable than the global median – Pekanbaru 49% lower, Jakarta 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$3.11 Rp 55.9K

-49.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.68 Rp 155.6K

$18.11 Rp 324.8K

-52.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.49 Rp 44.7K

$3.46 Rp 62.1K

-28.03%

Cappuccino

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

$2.10 Rp 37.7K

-32.38%

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

$0.47 Rp 8,369

$0.55 Rp 9,890

-14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,666

$0.28 Rp 5,077

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 Rp 38.4K

$2.82 Rp 50.7K

-24.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

$4.21 Rp 75.5K

-18.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

7.37%

Eggs

$1.78 Rp 31.9K

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

-1.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.88 Rp 302.8K

$6.49 Rp 116.4K

160.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.61 Rp 46.9K

$3.23 Rp 58.0K

-19.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 Rp 186.6K

$7.55 Rp 135.4K

37.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

$2.93 Rp 52.5K

1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

$1.61 Rp 28.8K

3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 36.1K

$2.27 Rp 40.8K

-11.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

-42.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

-44.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 28.8K

$2.61 Rp 46.9K

-38.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

49.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,385

$0.46 Rp 8,269

-10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 41.2K

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

-23.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.82 Rp 355.6K

$20.56 Rp 368.8K

-3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 Rp 69.5K

$3.24 Rp 58.2K

19.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,301

$0.21 Rp 3,754

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.33 Rp 167.4K

$12.21 Rp 219.0K

-23.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

$0.54 Rp 9,605

64.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 Rp 7,206

$0.37 Rp 6,669

8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 Rp 39.1K

$3.12 Rp 55.9K

-30.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

-3.75%

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

$23.2K Rp 415.6M

$30.2K Rp 541.7M

-23.29%

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

$25.5K Rp 456.6M

$32.7K Rp 586.9M

-22.20%

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

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

-21.40%

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

$6.58 Rp 118.0K

$6.51 Rp 116.7K

1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.97 Rp 501.7K

$27.21 Rp 488.0K

2.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.15 Rp 415.3K

$29.97 Rp 537.6K

-22.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.41 Rp 222.6K

$12.61 Rp 226.3K

-1.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.21 Rp 57.5K

$3.10 Rp 55.6K

3.55%

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

$174 Rp 3.1M

$166 Rp 3.0M

4.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,096 Rp 55.5M

$9,566 Rp 171.6M

-67.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.18 Rp 613.1K

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

-40.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.35 Rp 652.1K

$33.85 Rp 607.2K

7.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

-20.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.4M

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

-15.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.6M

$381 Rp 6.8M

-32.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$122 Rp 2.2M

$236 Rp 4.2M

-48.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 Rp 16.7M

$1,152 Rp 20.7M

-19.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 Rp 2.7M

$660 Rp 11.8M

-77.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,135 Rp 20.4M

$2,958 Rp 53.1M

-61.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$699 Rp 12.5M

$1,431 Rp 25.7M

-51.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 Rp 3.2M

$421 Rp 7.6M

-57.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

9.59

-4.59%

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

Last update for Pekanbaru: July 11, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Pekanbaru 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 133% 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 Pekanbaru versus $18.00 in Jakarta. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Pekanbaru vs $214 in Jakarta – so Jakarta wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Pekanbaru vs Jakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakarta costs about 23% more than Pekanbaru, 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 $1,021 per month in Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $174 per month in Pekanbaru and $166 in Jakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Jakarta – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $681 in Pekanbaru and $840 in Jakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pekanbaru costs $681 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 Pekanbaru. 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.