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Living on a Budget: Cities in Indonesia with Low Cost of Living

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Living on a Budget. So, there’s this idea floating around that city life equals draining your wallet. But guess what? There are actually quite a few cities in Indonesia where you can live without breaking the bank.

This little nugget of wisdom comes straight from the data wizards at the Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) through their 2022 Cost of Living Survey. Yep, they’ve spilled the beans on some cities that proudly wear the badge of the most budget-friendly places in Indonesia.

Curious to know which cities made the cut? Dive into this article for the full rundown.

Cities in Indonesia with a Low Cost of Living

According to the BPS survey, Cilacap takes the crown for being the city with the lowest cost of living in Indonesia. Living the good life in Cilacap will set you back around Rp 5.37 million per month, up from Rp 4.88 million in the 2018 survey.

Snagging second place is Maumere, chilling with a monthly living cost of Rp 5.52 million. Following closely in third place is Sibolga, where living the dream costs about Rp 5.68 million per month.

Now, let’s talk about the cities securing spots four to six – a trio from Central Java. Kudus clocks in at Rp 5.71 million per month, Tegal at Rp 5.86 million, and Purwokerto at Rp 5.88 million.

Here’s the lowdown on the top 10 cities in Indonesia with the lowest cost of living:

  1. Cilacap, Central Java: Rp 5.37 million (per month)
  2. Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara: Rp 5.52 million
  3. Sibolga, North Sumatra: Rp 5.68 million
  4. Kudus, Central Java: Rp 5.71 million
  5. Tegal, Central Java: Rp 5.86 million
  6. Purwokerto, Central Java: Rp 5.88 million
  7. Singaraja, Bali: Rp 5.97 million
  8. Sumenep, Madura, East Java: Rp 5.99 million
  9. Jember, East Java: Rp 6.09 million
  10. Waingapu, East Nusa Tenggara: Rp 6.15 million

Cities in Indonesia with a Pricey Lifestyle

Now, let’s flip the coin. Which city in Indonesia will give your wallet a serious workout? Drumroll, please – it’s DKI Jakarta. According to the BPS data, the cost of living in Jakarta hits a whopping Rp 14.88 million per month.

Securing the second spot is Bekasi, where living large will cost you about Rp 14.34 million per month. Following closely in third place is Surabaya, with a monthly living cost of Rp 13.36 million.

Here are the top 10 cities in Indonesia with the highest cost of living:

  1. DKI Jakarta: Rp 14.88 million (per month)
  2. Bekasi, West Java: Rp 14.34 million
  3. Surabaya, East Java: Rp 13.36 million
  4. Depok, West Java: Rp 12.35 million
  5. Makassar, South Sulawesi: Rp 11.5 million
  6. Tangerang, Banten: Rp 10.96 million
  7. Bogor, West Java: Rp 10.73 million
  8. Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi: Rp 10.23 million
  9. Batam, Riau Islands: Rp 10.03 million
  10. Balikpapan, East Kalimantan: Rp 9.87 million

About the SBH 2022 Survey

According to BPS, the Cost of Living Survey contributes to calculating the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to measure inflation. To keep the CPI relevant, weighting patterns and commodity packages need an update every five years. The SBH 2022 is the 13th edition of the survey, now covering 150 regencies/cities in 38 provinces compared to the previous edition, which only covered 90 regencies/cities.

This survey takes into account consumption costs, including food, beverages, fuel, and even phone credit.

And there you have it – the list of cities with the lowest and highest cost of living in Indonesia, straight from the Badan Pusat Statistik.

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