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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $671 per month in Pekanbaru vs $825 in Jakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $972 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,356 in Jakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,273 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,888 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 50% lower, Jakarta 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$2.99 Rp 53.4K

-47.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.16 Rp 163.6K

$18.68 Rp 333.6K

-50.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.43 Rp 43.3K

$3.64 Rp 64.9K

-33.24%

Cappuccino

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

$2.17 Rp 38.8K

-37.79%

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

$0.50 Rp 8,881

$0.52 Rp 9,263

-3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,259

$0.26 Rp 4,627

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

$2.72 Rp 48.5K

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.1K

$4.34 Rp 77.5K

-23.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 Rp 24.2K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

Eggs

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-5.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.17 Rp 306.6K

$6.57 Rp 117.3K

161.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

$3.23 Rp 57.6K

-18.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 Rp 181.5K

$7.78 Rp 139.0K

30.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 Rp 51.4K

$2.83 Rp 50.5K

1.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

$1.57 Rp 28.0K

7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$2.19 Rp 39.2K

-8.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

-35.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

-43.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.8K

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

-36.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

45.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,024

$0.46 Rp 8,209

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

$3.09 Rp 55.2K

-27.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.07 Rp 376.3K

$21.09 Rp 376.6K

-0.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 50.0K

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

26.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 Rp 72.8K

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

30.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,261

$0.23 Rp 4,122

26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

$12.12 Rp 216.4K

-25.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

51.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 Rp 7,814

$0.34 Rp 6,146

29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

$3.05 Rp 54.5K

-29.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

-3.75%

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

$22.7K Rp 405.1M

$31.3K Rp 558.7M

-27.49%

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

$25.7K Rp 459.7M

$32.6K Rp 582.9M

-21.13%

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

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

-22.47%

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

$6.73 Rp 120.2K

$6.44 Rp 115.0K

4.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.30 Rp 505.4K

$27.04 Rp 482.9K

4.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.12 Rp 412.8K

$29.82 Rp 532.6K

-22.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 Rp 218.7K

$12.45 Rp 222.3K

-1.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 58.7K

$3.05 Rp 54.5K

7.87%

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

$175 Rp 3.1M

$167 Rp 3.0M

4.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,092 Rp 55.2M

$9,722 Rp 173.6M

-68.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.33 Rp 613.1K

$57.1 Rp 1.0M

-39.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 Rp 646.2K

$32.94 Rp 588.2K

9.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 Rp 1.2M

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

-22.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

$88.0 Rp 1.6M

-12.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.6M

$385 Rp 6.9M

-33.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 Rp 2.2M

$238 Rp 4.3M

-49.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 Rp 16.2M

$1,152 Rp 20.6M

-21.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.7M

$646 Rp 11.5M

-76.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,026 Rp 18.3M

$2,787 Rp 49.8M

-63.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$722 Rp 12.9M

$1,422 Rp 25.4M

-49.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 Rp 3.4M

$453 Rp 8.1M

-58.03%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in Pekanbaru versus $385 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 138% 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 $19.00 in Jakarta. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Pekanbaru vs $215 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 $1,007 per month in Pekanbaru and $1,237 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 $175 per month in Pekanbaru and $167 in Jakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% 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 $671 in Pekanbaru and $825 in Jakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pekanbaru costs $671 versus $825 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.