Cost Of Living For a Family in Indonesia 2025

Average monthly spending for families in Indonesia

We consider a family to be a member of four members, two adults and two children. This is the most common type of family. From the figures below, it should be fairly easy to calculate the average spending for families of different sizes.

How much money does a family need in a month to survive in Indonesia?

Families in Indonesia spend around 34M IDR per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a family can survive with a monthly budget as low as 12M IDR or as high as 220M IDR. Location and income are very important factors and have a huge influence on expenditure and budget.

Family expenditure to income ratio in Indonesia

Analysing the how affordable it is for families to live in Indonesia

One of the most definite ways to determine how affordable a place is measuring the ratio of expenses to salary. A high expense-to-income to ratio indicates a high cost-of-living index while a low expenditure-to-salary ratio means the place is affordable to live in. Families usually spend a larger chunk of their income than other population groups. A typical and healthy expenditure percentage for a family of four ranges between 70% to 80%.

Families in Indonesia spend around 89% of their monthly income. Some families spend as low as 82% of their income while some as high as 99%.

How do families spend their money in Indonesia?

We asked thousands of families about their spending habits and expenditure break down.

Housing and accomodation expenditure for families

Families in Indonesia typically spend from 22% to 37% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 27% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 11M IDR with expenditure ranging from 3.8M IDR to 71M IDR. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.

Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for families

Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Indonesia ranges from 3% to 8% of total expenses with 5% being the average for most families. The average monthly cost of utilities is 1.7M IDR with 600,000 IDR and 11M IDR being the upper and lower limits for a family of four.

Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for families

Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a family resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a family would expect to spend from 1.2M IDR to 22M IDR in a month on commuting with 3.4M IDR being the norm for most families. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 6% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 8%.

Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for families

The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical family in a month in Indonesia is 6.1M IDR. The cost of groceries can range between 2.2M IDR to 40M IDR. Families spend on average about 20% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 13% and 26% respectively.

Healthcare and medical services expenditure for families

Families in Indonesia allocate 6% to 15% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 10%. The range of medical expenses range from 1.1M IDR to 18M IDR with 3.4M IDR being the norm for most families.

Leisure and shopping expenditure for families

This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 600,000 IDR to 11M IDR with 1.7M IDR being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 7% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most families.

Education and schooling expenditure for families

Spending on education can vary drastically between different families. On average, education constitutes 14% of the monthly expenditure of families with 7% and 22% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 4.8M IDR per month with 1.7M IDR being the minimum spent amount and 31M IDR being the maximum.

What percentage of families in Indonesia are able to save money and how much can they save?

Percentage of families that reported their ability to save money

Almost 50% of surveyed families in Indonesia said that they can save some money at the end of each month while 50% reported that they have to utilize their whole income to survive.

How much money do families manage to add to their savings?

Saving to Income Ratio

Average Monthly Saved Amount

Savings to income distribution levels for families

Interpretation and Analysis

Families that are able to save money can put anywhere from 10% to 29% of their monthly income to their savings, with 18% being the average for most families. The average monthly amount of money that families can put aside is 11M IDR with 3.8M IDR and 71M IDR being the minimum and maximum respectively.

Saving Challenges in Indonesia

Reasons that make it difficult for families to save money

We wanted to understand what is stopping families from maximizing their savings in Indonesia. Listed below are the answers given by the survey participants.

Around 6% of the families said that their salary is too low to accommodate a portion for savings while 9% said that the high cost of living leaves little room for savings. 16% of the residents said that they are burdened with debt and find it challenging to save money. 11% reported that they just don't have the knowledge or discipline to create and stick to a budget, leading to overspending and an inability to save. 10% of families blamed impulsive spending as the reason for saving inability. Around 6% said that unexpected expenses like medical bills or car repairs are derailing their savings goals. 6% bluntly said that they don't see the purpose of it and prefer to live each day to the fullest. 19% reported that they understand the value of saving but are putting off saving for the future, thinking they have plenty of time to start later. 12% blamed inflation, saying that every time they save some money they end up using it immediately. A surprising 3% said that social pressure and keeping up with peers or social expectations makes them overspend. Lastly, 3% blamed market instability and price fluctuations.

Typical saving choices for families in Indonesia

Where do people choose to put their savings?

A typical and healthy budgeting structure

The 50/30/20 rule

Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle, location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule, which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.

• 50% for needs and financial obligations

  This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.

• 30% for wants and discretionary spending

  This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.

• 20% for savings and emergency fund

  This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.

About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting

Affordable living in Indonesia

Income and cost of living compatibility

We asked families one simple question and recorded their answers.

Is it affordable or economical to live in Indonesia?

Around 56% of surveyed families think that living in Indonesia is affordable with proper budgeting while 44% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.

Low-cost alternatives in Indonesia

People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked families how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:

Plenty of low-cost options58%

Few low-cost options42%

Based on the survey, 58% of the families living in Indonesia have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 42% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.

Emergency Funds For Families

An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked families of Indonesia whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.

Yes56%

No44%

Based on the survey, 44% of the families living in Indonesia said that they don't have an emergency fund while 56% said that they do.

Financial Literacy in Indonesia

Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.

Financial Leteracy51%

We asked family guardians and parents in Indonesia whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 49% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 51% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.

Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning

We wanted to understand whether families of Indonesia have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 39% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 61% said that they have everything under control.

Struggles with finance39%

Easily manages finances61%

Financial goals of families in Indonesia

In an attempt to understand the economic situation in Indonesia, we asked participants about their financial targets. By knowing what the population in general is trying to achieve, we can shed light on the economic outlook, cost of living, and quality of life in general.

Around 7% of families said that their main goal is to establish an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses while 37% said their number one priority is to pay off high-interest debt or loans and improve credit. 9% of surveyed people confirmed that saving for retirement to ensure a comfortable lifestyle in the final years is their main target. Around 8% reported that their priority is saving for the tuition fees and education costs of their children while 17% choose to buy a home or pay off existing mortgage before other things. 8% of the population would like to build wealth through investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or real estate. For 9% of people, saving for vacations or upgrading their lifestyle is the number one concern. Approximately 11% of the residents said that saving for healthcare expenses including insurance premiums is their main goal.

Debt, loans, and mortgages in Indonesia

Percentage of families who are in debt

According to the survey, 26% of the families in Indonesia have some kind of debt, loan, mortgage, or credit card payments while 74% reported that they don't have financial obligations to banks.

Debt-to-income ratio in Indonesia

Interpretation

The debt-to-income ratio measures the percentage of income being paid as debt settlement across the population. It is calculated by dividing the monthly debt settlement payment of an individual by their monthly income. Based on collected data, approximately 30% of a family's monthly income in Indonesia goes to debt settlement.

Debt levels

Monthly debt settlement payment as percentage of monthly income

According to our data, 3% of the debtors in Indonesia pay 60%+ of their income as debt settlement while 14% of the people pay 50% to 60% of their income for the same, which is quite an alarming financial situation for those individuals. 13% of people in debt dedicate 40% to 50% of their income to loan and mortgage payments while 15% dedicated 30% to 40% of income for same. Things are looking brighter for 13% of individuals as they only pay 20% to 30% of their income for loan and credit card repayment.

Distribution by type of debt in Indonesia

11% of debtors in Indonesia confirm that real estate mortgages constitutes the main part of their outstanding debt while 27% say that credit card payments are the reason they are in debt. Auto loans were the main type of debt for 19% of people and personal loans rose at 39%. Lastly, student loans are the main source of debt for 3% of debtors in Indonesia.

Good debt vs. Bad debt

Not all debt is bad. Good debt typically refers to borrowing money for investments that can increase in value or generate income over time like purchasing a home or acquiring student loans. On the other hand, bad debt involves borrowing for things that fail to generate lasting value like high-interest credit card debt used for non-essential expenses like luxury items or vacations.

Loan Affordability Index in Indonesia

Besides measuring the loan-to-income ratio, we asked families of Indonesia how many times in a year they defaulted or were unable to pay their due credit card or loan payments on time. Understanding how often people default on their due payments is one of the indicators of the cost of living and economic situation.

Frequency and percentage of people who failed to pay their monthly credit card or loan payments on time last year.

Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Indonesia

Rent Cost in Indonesia

Monthly Rent Prices

Studio apartment monthly rent cost

1.9M IDR

2.8M IDR

7.5M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$120

$180

$480

1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

2.8M IDR

4.5M IDR

11M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$180

$290

$710

2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

3.8M IDR

5.6M IDR

15M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$240

$360

$950

3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

4.5M IDR

7.5M IDR

20M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$290

$480

$1,300

Furnished apartment monthly rent cost

9M IDR

23M IDR

45M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$570

$1,400

$2,900

Townhouse monthly rent cost

7.5M IDR

11M IDR

32M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$480

$710

$2,000

House monthly rent cost

9M IDR

23M IDR

45M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$570

$1,400

$2,900

Villa monthly rent cost

11M IDR

28M IDR

45M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$710

$1,800

$2,900

The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Indonesia ranges between 1.9M IDR and 7.5M IDR, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 2.8M IDR to 11M IDR. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 3.8M IDR and 15M IDR per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 4.5M IDR to 20M IDR. The average rent of a townhouse in Indonesia is around 11M IDR while house rental costs can be as high as 23M IDR per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 11M IDR to 45M IDR per month.

Apartment and house prices in Indonesia

Cost of buying a property

Studio apartment price

380M IDR

560M IDR

1,100M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$24,000

$36,000

$71,000

1-bedroom apartment price

450M IDR

750M IDR

2,800M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$29,000

$48,000

$180,000

2-bedroom apartment price

750M IDR

2,300M IDR

4,500M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$48,000

$140,000

$290,000

3-bedroom apartment price

2,500M IDR

3,800M IDR

11,000M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$160,000

$240,000

$710,000

Townhouse price

3,200M IDR

7,500M IDR

28,000M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$200,000

$480,000

$1.8M

House price

3,800M IDR

23,000M IDR

32,000M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$240,000

$1.4M

$2M

Villa price

4,500M IDR

25,000M IDR

38,000M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$290,000

$1.6M

$2.4M

The average price of a studio apartment in Indonesia can range from 380M IDR to 1,100M IDR depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 450M IDR to 2,800M IDR. A villa can cost you 25,000M IDR on average with prices ranging from 4,500M IDR to 38,000M IDR.

House / apartment prices to income ratio

Property prices in Indonesia can be x103 to x202 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x103 multiples of the average monthly salary in Indonesia.

Rent to income ratio

The average rent-to-income ratio in Indonesia is around 30%. This means that people pay 30% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 20% to 40% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.

Housing affordability index

The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.

Property Taxes

Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.

Home Maintenance Costs

Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.

Urban vs. rural living costs

Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.

Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Indonesia

Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Indonesia

Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Family

600,000 IDR

1.7M IDR

11M IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$38

$110

$700

Internet and cable cost

110,000 IDR

230,000 IDR

300,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$7.1

$14

$19

Mobile phone bill and charges

90,000 IDR

150,000 IDR

450,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$5.7

$9.5

$29

The average monthly energy and water consumption of families is around 1.7M IDR. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 110,000 IDR to 300,000 IDR with 230,000 IDR being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 150,000 IDR but can range between 90,000 IDR and 450,000 IDR depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.

Energy / Utility expense to income ratio

The average utility-to-income ratio in Indonesia is around 6%. This means that people pay 6% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 3% to 10% depending on salary and location.

Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Indonesia

Prices and cost of goods and services in Indonesia

Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.

Fast food combo meal price

23,000 IDR

45,000 IDR

75,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.4

$2.9

$4.8

The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Indonesia is approximatly 45,000 IDR with meal cost ranging from 23,000 IDR to 75,000 IDR. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.

Restaurant meal for one price

75,000 IDR

110,000 IDR

230,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$4.8

$7.1

$14

If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 75,000 IDR and 230,000 IDR with 110,000 IDR being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Indonesia.

Fine dining meal for one price

150,000 IDR

230,000 IDR

900,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$9.5

$14

$57

The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 150,000 IDR to 900,000 IDR with the average cost being 230,000 IDR for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Indonesia.

Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..

19,000 IDR

30,000 IDR

45,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.2

$1.9

$2.9

The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Indonesia is around 30,000 IDR. Price ranges between 19,000 IDR and 45,000 IDR depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.

Grocery and market costs

Large bottle of milk price

15,000 IDR

18,000 IDR

23,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.95

$1.1

$1.4

The average price of a large bottle of milk in Indonesia is 18,000 IDR. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 23,000 IDR and the minimum being 15,000 IDR depending on the brand of milk and other properties.

12 eggs price

11,000 IDR

15,000 IDR

23,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.71

$0.95

$1.4

A dozen eggs costs around 15,000 IDR on average with 11,000 IDR and 23,000 IDR being the lower and upper limits respectively.

Fresh whole chicken price

26,000 IDR

33,000 IDR

47,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.6

$2.1

$3

The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Indonesia is between 26,000 IDR and 47,000 IDR depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 33,000 IDR.

Pack of beef price

30,000 IDR

45,000 IDR

90,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.9

$2.9

$5.7

The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 45,000 IDR. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.

Medium bag of rice price

12,000 IDR

17,000 IDR

23,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.77

$1.1

$1.5

A bag of rice in Indonesia costs around 17,000 IDR on average with prices rangeing between 12,000 IDR and 23,000 IDR depending on the brand and quality.

Bag of tomatos price

4,500 IDR

6,000 IDR

11,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.29

$0.38

$0.71

A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 4,500 IDR to 11,000 IDR. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Bag of apples price

8,000 IDR

11,000 IDR

17,000 IDR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.51

$0.67

$1.1

A bag of apples costs 11,000 IDR on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio

The average grocery-to-income ratio in Indonesia is around 26%. This means that families spend 26% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 18% to 32% depending on salary and location.

Expenditure on food and grocery for families