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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $634 per month in Pekanbaru vs $815 in Jakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $989 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,325 in Jakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,343 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,834 in Jakarta, rent included.

Pekanbaru is about 22% cheaper than Jakarta, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pekanbaru and Jakarta are more affordable than the global median – Pekanbaru 54% lower, Jakarta 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.45 Rp 25.7K

$2.49 Rp 44.0K

-41.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.36 Rp 148.0K

$15.86 Rp 280.9K

-47.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$3.43 Rp 60.8K

-34.11%

Cappuccino

$1.31 Rp 23.1K

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

-36.41%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,464

$0.42 Rp 7,520

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 Rp 3,887

$0.26 Rp 4,614

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$2.65 Rp 47.0K

-27.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$3.89 Rp 68.9K

-20.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

-5.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

-0.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

$0.84 Rp 14.9K

5.95%

Eggs

$1.68 Rp 29.8K

$1.76 Rp 31.1K

-4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 Rp 130.5K

$9.81 Rp 173.8K

-24.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.54 Rp 45.1K

$2.99 Rp 53.0K

-15.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.72 Rp 119.1K

$7.67 Rp 135.7K

-12.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

$2.87 Rp 50.8K

-4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 Rp 29.5K

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

21.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 Rp 43.2K

$2.65 Rp 46.9K

-7.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$1.37 Rp 24.3K

-8.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

-1.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

$2.10 Rp 37.2K

-4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

$0.93 Rp 16.5K

-21.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 Rp 6,991

$0.51 Rp 9,092

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 Rp 37.3K

$2.85 Rp 50.4K

-25.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.66 Rp 365.8K

$21.74 Rp 384.9K

-4.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

-9.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$3.22 Rp 57.0K

-9.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.29 Rp 5,206

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.44 Rp 149.4K

$11.72 Rp 207.6K

-27.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 Rp 16.5K

$0.53 Rp 9,420

75.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,527

$0.36 Rp 6,293

2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 Rp 52.5K

$3.30 Rp 58.4K

-10.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 Rp 12.7K

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-7.69%

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

$22.8K Rp 403.0M

$28.7K Rp 507.9M

-20.66%

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

$27.4K Rp 485.0M

$33.4K Rp 590.9M

-17.92%

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

$65.2 Rp 1.2M

$108 Rp 1.9M

-39.56%

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

$6.29 Rp 111.4K

$6.07 Rp 107.5K

3.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.94 Rp 423.9K

$19.01 Rp 336.7K

25.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.75 Rp 509.1K

$26.63 Rp 471.5K

7.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.36 Rp 148.1K

$13.81 Rp 244.5K

-39.46%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 54.0K

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

-11.34%

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

$96.6 Rp 1.7M

$155 Rp 2.7M

-37.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,970 Rp 141.1M

$8,224 Rp 145.6M

-3.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.32 Rp 483.8K

$60.1 Rp 1.1M

-54.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.79 Rp 527.4K

$28.63 Rp 506.9K

4.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.5 Rp 999.9K

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

-23.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

$110 Rp 1.9M

-25.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 Rp 3.7M

$363 Rp 6.4M

-42.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.8M

$204 Rp 3.6M

-22.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 Rp 9.8M

$1,179 Rp 20.9M

-52.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 Rp 6.6M

$581 Rp 10.3M

-35.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,357 Rp 24.0M

$3,009 Rp 53.3M

-54.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$659 Rp 11.7M

$1,477 Rp 26.2M

-55.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 Rp 3.2M

$460 Rp 8.1M

-61.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

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

Last update for Pekanbaru: September 13, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $208 in Pekanbaru versus $363 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 157% 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 $8.00 in Pekanbaru versus $16.00 in Jakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $223 – making Pekanbaru 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

Pekanbaru vs Jakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakarta costs about 28% more than Pekanbaru, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $952 per month in Pekanbaru and $1,223 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 $96.6 per month in Pekanbaru and $155 in Jakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $634 in Pekanbaru and $815 in Jakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pekanbaru costs $634 versus $815 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.