View Full Version : Cost of Monthly Living - Confirming Data
jefri.misawar
12-05-10, 06:57
Hi Peeps,
Almost there to Indonesia and i was busying myself to nail down the cost of living in Indonesia base on reading in this forum and other website. Do let me know if this is more or less accurate. Hope with this update, it will help me and others to gauge cost of living in Indonesia.
Amount in Rupiah Per month
Housing Rent 17,000,000 (assuming a 4bedrooms house)
Maid Salary 1,000,000 (can get lower if do not need a english speaking)
Electricity 2,000,000 (this cost varies alot from 500k to 3M, so i choose somewhere in b/w)
Water & etc 200,000
Internet Cost 550,000 (Could be as high as 3M if u want the fastest speed)
Driver Salary 2,200,000 (need confirmation)
Car Installment 3,000,000 (assuming car in the range of Toyota Innova)
Car Misc 1,500,000 (Petrol & Insurance + Maintenance)
Food & Grocery 4,500,000 (assuming wife cooks on weekdays and dining out over the weekend)
Mobile x2 2,000,000 (Need confirmation on this)
Fix Phone Line 200,000 (Will seldom use it)
Drinks/Booze 5,000,000 (I dont drink, but this is what i gathered)
Cable Movie ???? (TBC)
Gardener/Pool ???? (TBC)
Edited as below;
I summarize using google excel spreadhseet. You can click the link for details. Updated as of May 23rd 2010.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmqSBIXPatLHdHNNOW01WmJpU0Y2TEMxTDJGZGF0Q 2c&hl=en
Pls give input if there is a big discrepancies in the numbers.
What I pay baby.
Amount in Rupiah Per month
Housing Rent 6 million/year (2 bedrooms house)
Maid Salary 200,000
Electricity 100,000
Water & etc 20,000
Internet Cost 100,000 (IM2)
Driver Salary NA
Car Installment NA
Car Misc NA
Food & Grocery <2 million (assuming wife cooks on weekdays and dining out over the weekend)
Mobile x2 25,000/month in credit per phone
Fix Phone Line no need if you have a mobile and don't use line internet
Drinks/Booze zero
jefri.misawar
12-05-10, 07:54
Wow, it seems my data is somewhat considered outlier?
Wow, it seems my data is somewhat considered outlier?
I don't drink or smoke but I do have one vice. That's eating out.
Don't get into those 'bile' price things that seem to take so many people in. Prices in jakarta will always be greater than in small cities but there is no point getting ripped off by people taking advantage of bule expecting to pay western prices.
It's all down to lifestyle. If you want total luxury and have the cash to sling down the toilet, go for it but you don't have to pay anything like those prices to live comfortably.
jefri.misawar
12-05-10, 10:45
Same, i don't drink and smoke as well. Of course i would not want to pay a huge mark-up just because they think i'm not local although i look like one as i'm a Singaporean Malay. But i thought utilities cost such as water, electricity(normal AC usage), mobile phone, internet would not be so far off. Anyway, now it gives me some perspective how much i'm being ripped off when i'm there.
qnaryfeline
12-05-10, 12:13
It all depends on your location, how and what are your spendings.....
In the house, there are my mother in law, our 2 adorable daughters, 1 cute baby boy, 2 maids, 1 driver and of cos me n my husband and here is what we paid for.
House rental (Pondok Indah) - US$1500 /mth (phewwww....paid by company, it has 4 bedroom)
2 maids & 1 driver - 1.9juta rupiah /mth
Electricity - 1 750 000rp
home phone - 100 000rp
mobile phone (me n hubby) - 400 000rp
Car maintenance/petrol (1 CRV & 1 Fortuner)- 4mil rp
Fortuner loan + insurance cover - 11mil rp
Food + Groceries + Weekend treat -6mil rp
First Media internet - 324 500 rp
rubbish collection and security - 200 000rp
school fees for 2 children - 1 400 000 rp
drink/smoke - nil
pool - nil
gardener - DIY
Other than the above,
we do hv an annual comittment of our life insurance,accident insurance, my KITAS, CRV and Fortuner insurance/STNK, annual school fees to be paid for.
cheers :nod:
jefri.misawar
12-05-10, 18:47
Tks qna!
Looks like your data more or less the same as mine. Does your Electricity covers water as well? Made some adjustment as follows;
Amount in Rupiah Per month
Housing Rent 17,000,000 (assuming a 4bedrooms house)
Maid Salary 1,000,000 (can get lower if do not need a english speaking)
Electricity 2,000,000 (this cost varies alot from 500k to 3M, so i choose somewhere in b/w)
Water & etc 200,000
Internet Cost 500,000
Driver Salary 1,500,000
Car Installment 4,000,000 (deciding between Innova or Honda CRV hence increase this a bit)
Car Misc 2,000,000 (Petrol & Insurance + Maintenance)
Food & Grocery 4,500,000 (assuming wife cooks on weekdays and dining out over the weekend)
Mobile x2 400,000
Fix Phone Line 200,000 (Will seldom use it)
Drinks/Booze 0
Cable Movie ???? (does fastnet cover movie as well?)
Gardener/Pool ???? (Wonder if can get driver double up as garder if need to)
The biggest component of your expenses is house rent and this will depend entirely on where you live. In Pondok Indah Rp17mill may be a good estimate, in BSD you can halve that for the same standard of housing. In Bogor a very nice house will cost Rp5-6mill per month. Most other bills will be exactly the same wherever you live.
jefri.misawar
12-05-10, 20:02
True, the good thing is my company is paying for the hosing..so i would prefer to max it out. Btw, what is BSD?
I'm in my late 20s and I'm single, I live in South Jakarta.
Here's how much I pay for every month:
Housing Rent 3.5 mill (a studio)
Maid Salary 250 thou
Electricity free*
Water & etc free*
Internet Cost free*
Driver Salary - I take cabs every day, and I spend around Rp 4.5 mill in total (3/4 of the expenses are reimbursed by the company)
Car Installment none
Car Misc none
Food & Grocery - I like eating out, and I rarely cook :-p - Rp 1 mill/week
Mobile x2 200 thou
Fix Phone Line none
Drinks/Booze Rp 1 mill/every time I go out
Cable Movie ???? Free*
Gardener/Pool ???? none
* Included in my rent.
jefri.misawar
12-05-10, 20:37
Tks for ur input. Hope this thread can generate enough data for the rest to refer to.
Tks for ur input. Hope this thread can generate enough data for the rest to refer to.
Like, it really depends on your lifestyle and where you live. You can buy a really crappy phone for 10 bucks or buy a decent one for 100 bucks, it really depends.
Like, it really depends on your lifestyle and where you live. You can buy a really crappy phone for 10 bucks or buy a decent one for 100 bucks, it really depends.
Mine is a Nokia E72 but to the point in hand. The cost of living does depend on where you live as well as how much you waste.
I have no clue how you guys manage electricity bills like that.
jefri.misawar
13-05-10, 07:58
Mine is a Nokia E72 but to the point in hand. The cost of living does depend on where you live as well as how much you waste.
I have no clue how you guys manage electricity bills like that.
Yeah, hopefully i will be able to control my electricity bills.
In Bogor where the need for a.c. isn't as acute as in jakarta my monthly electricity bill averages Rp250 000. Water is about Rp100 000.
We don't have AC but the TV is on all day.
We only use 10 to 15 m of water a month.
A mate down the road pay 150,000/month including AC
waarmstrong
13-05-10, 08:45
Like, it really depends on your lifestyle and where you live. You can buy a really crappy phone for 10 bucks or buy a decent one for 100 bucks, it really depends.
My "really crappy" no-bells-and-whistles Nokia cheapy has worked flawlessly since purchased used, no less, over 2 years ago. The only problem is that numbers are wearing off the touch pad.
qnaryfeline
13-05-10, 10:06
yeap...water included in elect bil.
and i dont use cable movie but the satellite...
My "really crappy" no-bells-and-whistles Nokia cheapy has worked flawlessly since purchased used, no less, over 2 years ago. The only problem is that numbers are wearing off the touch pad.
Hey I'm just giving him an analogy, I do have a crappy phone that does nothing but txting n calling and I bought it 4 years ago. It fell from the 13th floor once, soaked in a puddle, I even fought with my ex bf and then I threw it to his face lol and yes, it still works! The numbers on the touch pad are not wearing off, I buy Motorola for this reason, they're very durable.
waarmstrong
13-05-10, 13:11
Yes, I can see that you would be happier with a Moto, if it doubles as a boy-friend bonker. (My comment, BTW, was more about me than you. Didn't mean for it to sound hoity-toity.)
If you live in apartment building in Jakarta you will pay the management rate for electricity and water which is higher than going direct. Our bill this month for electricity and water is 3.5 mil.
jefri.misawar
13-05-10, 16:30
Wow..this is something new.. So my bill will be higher if i live in the apartment?
Wow..this is something new.. So my bill will be higher if i live in the apartment?
The rates they charge are higher and they justify it by saying it covers the maintenance of the supply within the building plus we also have a back-up generator. We rent from the management. It might be different if you rent directly from the owner but I don't think so. Others on this forum may know.
waarmstrong
13-05-10, 21:38
If you live in apartment building in Jakarta you will pay the management rate for electricity and water which is higher than going direct. Our bill this month for electricity and water is 3.5 mil.
My goodness, Lantern, do you spend all day in a hot shower while the AC keeps the rest of the place at 20 degrees? More likely, the management rate is just another way for the vultures to extract from tenant carcases every possible rupiah.
Yes, I can see that you would be happier with a Moto, if it doubles as a boy-friend bonker. (My comment, BTW, was more about me than you. Didn't mean for it to sound hoity-toity.)
I should have bought a bigger phone, you know, for self defense :-))
I don't think I sound hoity-toity, I think I act hoity-toity, I can't help it.
If you live in apartment building in Jakarta you will pay the management rate for electricity and water which is higher than going direct. Our bill this month for electricity and water is 3.5 mil.
I've had a similar experience, I had to pay more than 1.5 mill a month just for the electricity and water, and I was only living in a one bedroom apartment, that's why I moved out.
My goodness, Lantern, do you spend all day in a hot shower while the AC keeps the rest of the place at 20 degrees? More likely, the management rate is just another way for the vultures to extract from tenant carcases for every possible rupiah.
Funny you should mention the shower... I can't get any cold water out of it for the past two days and I hate hot/warm showers. As for the management... I'm sure they aren't making a loss on the deal. The general manager is very friendly to me every time we meet. I imagine him saying 'hello sucker' under his breath.
Rent: Free, paid by my employer
Electricity: ditto
Water: from a well, free
Transport: 50,000 for petrol for my bike
Food: Breakfast at home, lunch paid for by my employer, dinner in a local eatery: !m
Beer and cigarettes: 3m
That's just over 4m.
That's how us tachers survive on paltry salaries!
jefri.misawar
14-05-10, 04:59
Is there any more major expenses that we missed out?
Is there any more major expenses that we missed out?
Dating.
waarmstrong
14-05-10, 09:34
....That's how us tachers survive on paltry salaries!
I assume you are a math rather than an English tacher.
Here's what we spend each month. There's just two of us-- me and my husband-- plus our maid.
Housing: FREE (Included in our employment contract. We have a two bedroom/one bathroom plus maid bedroom/bathroom house with front and backyard near Permata Hijau. Our employer paid about Rp. 30 juta for the year... I think.)
Maid Salary: Rp. 1.5 juta, plus food/medical/school tuition/pulsa/clothing/transportation, etc... (We love our maid and consider her part of our family. We pay her a very generous salary AND pay for all of her clothes, food, medical needs-- including optical and dental, transportation, and school tuition. Yes, we pay for our maid to go to school.)
Electricity: Rp. 500,000 (This lets us run two air conditioners non-stop, several fans, a refrigerator, our water pumps, and the washing machine...)
Household Supplies: Rp. 750,000 (Detergent, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, toiletries, etc...)
Well Water: Rp. 70,000 (Laundry, showers, and toilets...)
Drinking Water: Rp. 50,000 (That's for six jugs of water each month.)
Cooking Fuel: Rp. 300,000 (Per tank-- a full tank lasts us two or three months.)
High Speed Internet + Super-Duper-Every-Channel Cable: Rp. 375,000 (We got a killer deal through First Media. High speed internet plus every cable channel possible-- even HBO, etc...-- in three rooms with free installation for less than Rp. 400,000 per month.)
Driver Salary: NONE!(We don't have a driver anymore, but when we did we paid him Rp. 1.5 juta per month and that included food money. That was to work 12 hours a day Monday through Friday and 8 hours on Saturdays with only Sundays and national holidays off. That's a pretty average salary. If you're paying more than that, he better speak damn good English.)
Car Installment: NONE! (We were renting a car for Rp. 3 juta a month but decided that motors make more sense for our lifestyle, so we got rid of the car and driver. We bought a used Mio outright-- about 6 juta-- and financed a brand new Vario. We pay about Rp. 1.5 per month for the Vario, but that's because we want to pay it off quickly.)
Car Miscellaneous: NONE! (With the motors, we spend about Rp. 100,000 per month on gas. With the car, it was more like 3 juta-- but we had a bitch of a commute to finance.)
Food and Groceries: Around Rp. 2.5 juta on groceries and Rp. 1 juta on eating out. (This is to feed three people. The groceries are a combo of pasar/kaki lima, Giant/Carrefour, and Kemchicks/Food Hall. The eating out is a combo of warung/kaki lima and mid-range RM's. We rarely, if ever, eat at high-end establishments.)
Mobile: ~ Rp. 500,000 (For three phones, all with SimPati, all using the internet and sending a shitton of text messages.)
Home Phone: Rp. 50,000 (It doesn't get used often. It's just for emergencies, like when we run out of pulsa and are too lazy to go to the warung or ATM and buy more.)
Drinks/Booze: NONE! (We don't drink, but it could get pricey. Figure about Rp. 20,000 per beer.)
Cable Movie: NONE! (We have our cable and internet in a package through First Media.)
Gardener/Pool: NONE! (We don't have a pool and our maid will tend to our garden once we get it installed/planted.)
Entertainment and Extras: Rp. 2 juta (I'm including in this the odd taxi ride, movies, shopping trips, etc...)
So, when all is said and done, we live a VERY comfortable life on less than Rp. 12 juta per month-- and we're able to save a shitton of money, too, since we earn more than double that each month.
Whats a shitton?, sounds a bit smelly...
And for Mr or Mrs Armstrong earlier, yes, I am actually an English teacher. I was typing so fast, my fingers slipped.
I left dating costs out of my calculations as I tend to get mine off the net. Treat them well, buy them thing or two, doesn't have to be expensive. It's beyond me why anyone bothers with 'ayam kampung'? Risk of disease, and they are sleeping with your money, not you.
Whats a shitton?, sounds a bit smelly...
And for Mr or Mrs Armstrong earlier, yes, I am actually an English teacher. I was typing so fast, my fingers slipped.
I left dating costs out of my calculations as I tend to get mine off the net. Treat them well, buy them thing or two, doesn't have to be expensive. It's beyond me why anyone bothers with 'ayam kampung'? Risk of disease, and they are sleeping with your money, not you.-
Please excuse Waarm. He's so sarcastic but refuses to use the "sarcasm" sign for thought-to-be-native-English speakers on account he figures even math teachers understand.
Well aren't you charming. "buy them a thing or two, doesn't have to be expensive".
Do you know the other member who assumes women who don't want to have sex with him are gay? Just curious. Could be buddies.
Ya why pay for prostitutes for servicing when you can lessen the risk of disease, know that they are sleeping with you cause of your great character and for the cheap shit you buy them at a boutique MasFred has had the displeasure of entering and spend less money for the same service? Good to see ya got it all figured out. Drinks, meals at decent bars and restaurants? Entry fees? These things add up. Maybe you jut have them come to your place so taxi fares are doable. Wow you must have had a guru or been here for years. Hey maybe you could do a trade for English lessons to cut costs. Oh, done that huh. Ok.
Look forward to your tips and wonderful contributions to this forum especialy for green newbies.
Nice post Pimpin, you made me smile...
"Drinks, meals at decent bars and restaurants? Entry fees? These things add up." Not so much really. Maybe an introductory coffee at JCO, a walk around Tamini Park. If we like each other it's OK. If not, and it happens, c'est la vie! OK, I could take them for cocktails in an expensive bar in Kemang or somewhere. But their often limited English, my very limited Indonesian, and god knows how any decibels blasting out of the speaker next to my right ear: doesn't make for easy conversation, or getting at ease with one another. Not for me, anyway. In any case, as we all know, many girls here are Muslims, often with fairly strict lifestyle limitations chosen/ imposed on them. As far as drinking alcohol goes, at least...
So if a girl likes me, it's not just for my money, as she could easily find another 'bule' with more cash. She could pick an oil worker, there are plenty of them, who earn 5 or 10 times my salary. Many do, and that's fine by me.
Even in Indonesia, where money is most certainly a bigger factor in relationships than it is in the west, there is still a place for a different approach. That's my humble opinion, backed by a reasonable amount of 'success'.
Have a nice day all.
jefri.misawar
15-05-10, 09:27
Lucky (depends how see it) me since i'm already married! I can't imagine going thru ordeal of dating again (tiring). Seems more or less the cost of living is clear and will try to summarize my first post with the data shared.
Lucky (depends how see it) me since i'm already married! I can't imagine going thru ordeal of dating again (tiring). Seems more or less the cost of living is clear and will try to summarize my first post with the data shared.
Ya, I think the most important thing to remember (when making a budget for life in Indonesia) is that the vast majority of people in this country are surviving on Rp. 1 juta a month or less. Any job for a foreigner-- whether at a crappy, unrecognized language mill or a rich, multi-national corporation-- is going to pay a salary that is far beyond what most Indonesians (even those with college educations) could ever hope to earn.
Whether you're earning Rp. 5 juta a month or Rp. 50 juta a month, your lifestyle and quality of life in Indonesia will be much better than the majority of people around you. Can you blow through Rp. 100 juta per month on extravagant cars and household staff and a mansion and 5-star travel? Of course! But can you also live a perfectly happy and comfortable life (even by Western standards) with less than Rp. 10 juta per month? For sure. It all depends on what your priorities are and how you spend your money.
That being said, for anyone with a penchant for booze, parties, and ladies-of-the-night... Your salary is going to disappear very fast, regardless of how much you earn!
Lucky (depends how see it) me since i'm already married! I can't imagine going thru ordeal of dating again (tiring). Seems more or less the cost of living is clear and will try to summarize my first post with the data shared.
Ordeal? Funny I was thinking the same about marriage. You didn't date in Indonesia did you? Did ya? Ordeal? I can see that in the West but not here. Tiring ya can be. My kind of tiring though.
Nice post Pimpin, you made me smile...
"Drinks, meals at decent bars and restaurants? Entry fees? These things add up." Not so much really. Maybe an introductory coffee at JCO, a walk around Tamini Park. If we like each other it's OK. If not, and it happens, c'est la vie! OK, I could take them for cocktails in an expensive bar in Kemang or somewhere. But their often limited English, my very limited Indonesian, and god knows how any decibels blasting out of the speaker next to my right ear: doesn't make for easy conversation, or getting at ease with one another. Not for me, anyway. In any case, as we all know, many girls here are Muslims, often with fairly strict lifestyle limitations chosen/ imposed on them. As far as drinking alcohol goes, at least...
So if a girl likes me, it's not just for my money, as she could easily find another 'bule' with more cash. She could pick an oil worker, there are plenty of them, who earn 5 or 10 times my salary. Many do, and that's fine by me.
Even in Indonesia, where money is most certainly a bigger factor in relationships than it is in the west, there is still a place for a different approach. That's my humble opinion, backed by a reasonable amount of 'success'.
Have a nice day all.
Hehe, had fun writing it. We are on a similiar ship my friend.
jefri.misawar
15-05-10, 10:48
Tiring ya can be. My kind of tiring though.
Kekekeke
Danny Dangler
15-05-10, 13:20
Is there any more major expenses that we missed out?
How about trips home?
Whether you're earning Rp. 5 juta a month or Rp. 50 juta a month, your lifestyle and quality of life in Indonesia will be much better than the majority of people around you.
Living in Indonesia can be on the cheap, if you don't mind an Indonesian lifestyle. However, there are things which add up, even then: visa/permit fees, schooling for your children and a reasonable level of health care.
waarmstrong
15-05-10, 14:26
...And for Mr or Mrs Armstrong earlier, yes, I am actually an English teacher. I was typing so fast, my fingers slipped.
I seldom pass up an opportunity for some ribbing. All in fun, I hope you know. Its Mister. At least that's what my driver calls me when he knows I am listening.
qnaryfeline
15-05-10, 15:03
Budget for your Mrs to enjoy her Xtra shopping...:whistle:
stt_cibubur
15-05-10, 16:13
Amount in Rupiah Per month in my house:
Housing Rent Rp 0 (we bought the house)
Maid Salary 1,250,000 (can get lower for fresh comer -800.000)
Electricity 900.000 (1 water heater,4 ACs, 3 TVs, and for 3 games consoles, pc,lappy, etc )
Water PDAM 200,000 max.
Internet Cost 550,000 (use 3Gnet)
Driver Salary 1.700,000 (plus over time if any)
Cars Installment Rp 0 (we bought them cash)
Cars fuel shell Rp 350,000/week for my car and 500.000/week for hubby's car.
Grocery Rp 1.000,000 (weekly).
Mobile x 4 @rp 300.000 each /month (my BB fixed at 150,000/month)
Fix Phone and fax Line 300,000 (for both)
Drinks/Booze 3,500,000 (included foods and drinks).
Cable Movie rp 327.000 (Indovision full package)
Gardener just for watering and brooming Rp. 200.000 (30 min/day job).
Security and garbage fee + grass trim once/month Rp 225.000
DVD movie Rp 150.000
Tuitition fee ( primary school) $5500 + 22.000.000 /year.
The rest is shopping ( PC and xbox games, gadgets, clothes, houseware etc)
jefri.misawar
15-05-10, 18:54
Stt --> Thanks for contributing more data! For perspective, what type of car u use? Btw, do u guys buy car insurance?
jefri.misawar
15-05-10, 18:57
Wow.. My last reply need approval from administrator..did I do something wrong?
Ya, I think the most important thing to remember (when making a budget for life in Indonesia) is that the vast majority of people in this country are surviving on Rp. 1 juta a month or less. Any job for a foreigner-- whether at a crappy, unrecognized language mill or a rich, multi-national corporation-- is going to pay a salary that is far beyond what most Indonesians (even those with college educations) could ever hope to earn.
I'm afraid the logic is lost on me.
It is true that statistically speaking most expat employees earn more than most WNI, but take a walk around any of the upscale malls in Jakarta and tell me who you see with the $2000 handbags and $1000 shoes. It isn't the bules or Indian expat workers, that's for sure. Statistics is a wonderful thing for losing perspective. Add up all the earnings of all the KITAS holding expats in the country and the total won't come close to the annual receipts of even one of the 'elite' families.
With the going rate for Indonesian teachers of science and maths in English medium schools in Jakarta standing at Rp8mill per month I think it is time for you to revise your figures a bit, too.
jefri.misawar
15-05-10, 19:01
Anyway I was saying tks to stt and request some clarification on what type of car he/she has.
Hi Guys, great help with all the information especially the break down of the monthly expenses. Thanks again:)
Ray:)
waarmstrong
15-05-10, 19:46
... take a walk around any of the upscale malls in Jakarta and tell me who you see with the $2000 handbags and $1000 shoes...
Perhaps this is straying a little off the subject, but what distinguishes $2,000 bags and $1,000 shoes from those that normal people buy? I suppose I have laid eyes on such at this or that up-scale mall, but unless you are one of the people that buys that sort of stuff, how do you know the difference? Is there a difference?
I guess flashing a $2,000 bag at me and expecting to make an impression is waisted effort.
jefri.misawar
15-05-10, 20:11
How much u guys spend on car insurance?
That is true-- the elite in Jakarta are elite by any standard, be it Indonesian, American, or otherwise. Some people in this country have wealth that I can only *dream* about. However, the fact remains that those people are the minority-- the exception to the rule. Leave the greater Jakarta area-- hell, leave Jakarta Pusat/Selatan-- and that fact becomes even more glaringly obvious.
Most every Indonesian that I know lives on between Rp. 2-6 juta a month (or less)-- including some local teachers at a few Nat Plus schools. Those on the higher end of that spectrum are perfectly content, and most all of them are college educated. For most Indonesians that I know, the idea of an Rp. 8 juta/bulan salary would be like hitting the freakin' jackpot, and over Rp. 10 juta/bulan is just beyond comprehension.
I just think it's important for foreigners to keep things in perspective. Can you blow through Rp. 100 juta/bulan? Of course, piece of cake. But can you also live a perfectly comfortable life on Rp. 10 juta a month? For sure. While I don't drink or party, I do NOT attempt to curb my spending in any way. I regularly shop at the upscale, import supermarkets. I go out to eat all the time. I always take Blue Birds. I buy whatever I want, whenever I want. Even with that lifestyle, it's difficult for me to blow through more than about Rp. 20 juta per month. (Much to my husband's chagrin... He'd like to see more money being saved and less being spent on frivolous items. What can I say? I like to shop!) To spend more than that, I'd need to be buying the $2,000 handbags and $1,000 shoes you mentioned.
My budget does have one glaring oversight, however: I don't have kids. As Mas Rob pointed out, add some anak anak into the equation and your expenses can sky rocket. Good schools cost a small fortune, as does quality health care. If you've got kids, and want them to be healthy and well-educated, plan on setting aside a pretty penny to finance that operation. Luckily for my pocketbook, however, I have a five-year IUD and plenty of expendable income. :)
Perhaps this is a straying a little off the subject, but what distinguishes $2,000 bags and $1,000 shoes from those that normal people buy? I suppose I have laid eyes on such at this or that up-scale mall, but unless you are one of the people that buys that sort of stuff, how do you know the difference? Is there a difference?
To be honest I couldn't tell what is a real Gucci tote or a Glodok fake but Gucci, LV, Chanel and a legion of others do a roaring trade in the genuine items in Jakarta - and invariably to local customers. In London you'd have to go to Bond Street to find the density of top brand shops that you find in Jakarta malls.
Something that is worth noting is that if you are a big/tall European or take a shoe size bigger than 43 (men) then your clothes will cost the same at Debenhams or M&S in Jakarta as they would at similar shops anywhere else in the world. [I know there are 'factory outlet' places but frankly it takes all day to traipse round looking for them]
stt_cibubur
15-05-10, 20:38
Anyway I was saying tks to stt and request some clarification on what type of car he/she has.
I drive Chevrolet Optra 1.8 and hubby drive Chevrolet captiva diesel ( Yeah..sound like American car fanatic..lol) but hubby use it more to go visit customer out of town specially Bandung and Tangerang. Since Petronas and SHell came to our area, I always use them. and I only fill it once /week.
stt_cibubur
15-05-10, 20:52
How much u guys spend on car insurance?
Around 7-10 Million/year. in Indonesia the premi is depend on the value of the car.
To be honest I couldn't tell what is a real Gucci tote or a Glodok fake but Gucci, LV, Chanel and a legion of others do a roaring trade in the genuine items in Jakarta - and invariably to local customers. In London you'd have to go to Bond Street to find the density of top brand shops that you find in Jakarta malls.
You wont and you cant see the different by looking at the high quality replica (90% identical), you only know when you touch it/hold it.. I can say this because I am one of those stupid women who like to buy branded bags...but I also bought the replica, when the authentic price is above $1000. If less than that....I consider buy the real/authentic one.
jefri.misawar
15-05-10, 20:53
I driver Chevrolet Optra 1.8 and hubby drive Chevrolet captiva diesel ( Yeah..sound like American car fanatic..lol) but hubby use it more to go visit customer out of town specially Bandung and Tangerang. Since Petronas and SHell came to our area, I always use them. and I only fill it once /week.
Nice, I know how much to set aside for petrol. Imthinking to get captiva as well but now contemplating on KIA Sportage 2011 model but I doubt I will travel that far, just from kemang to kuningan on daily basis. Tks for sharing.
jefri.misawar
15-05-10, 21:02
. Around 7-10 Million/year. in Indonesia the premi is depend on the value of the car.
I'll add this as well. I assume this is for 2 cars and a yrly payment?
It can be really hard to tell the real branded bag from the fake just by look, so people turn to judging the owner. If you carry yourself well people will assume your stuff is real, if you are kampungan then your stuff must be fake.
jefri.misawar
15-05-10, 21:42
It can be really hard to tell the real branded bag from the fake just by look, so people turn to judging the owner. If you carry yourself well people will assume your stuff is real, if you are kampungan then your stuff must be fake.
My uncle did mentioned to me during my younger days.. He was saying if he buy fake branded items, people thinks it's real unlike my dad even he buy original copy no one will think it's original. All these coz he drives a car and my dad ride a bike! He said this in front if my family and his...one of my saddest day for my dad... Still haven't forgive my uncle for that statement.
waarmstrong
15-05-10, 22:06
Where I come from (Midwestern USA) its usually the guy with the faded and frayed bib overalls who had all the money. You would find him at the grain elevator checking on the price of corn.
My uncle did mentioned to me during my younger days.. He was saying if he buy fake branded items, people thinks it's real unlike my dad even he buy original copy no one will think it's original. All these coz he drives a car and my dad ride a bike! He said this in front if my family and his...one of my saddest day for my dad... Still haven't forgive my uncle for that statement.
That indeed was not the nicest thing to say. Your getting a good job and living a prosperous life should vindicate your dad though.
stt_cibubur
15-05-10, 23:28
I'll add this as well. I assume this is for 2 cars and a yrly payment?
Yes its for 1 year..hubbys car itself cost 7.1mio with ACA and mine is around 4mio use Indrapura.
jefri.misawar
23-05-10, 09:45
Updated.
I summarize using google excel spreadhseet. You can click the link for details. Updated as of May 23rd 2010.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmqSBIXPatLHdHNNOW01WmJpU0Y2TEMxTDJGZGF0Q 2c&hl=en
Pls give input if there is a big discrepancies in the numbers.
waarmstrong
23-05-10, 21:43
My my, Jefri has been a busy little beaver. Interesting summary; thanks for the effort.
Updated.
I summarize using google excel spreadhseet. You can click the link for details. Updated as of May 23rd 2010.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmqSBIXPatLHdHNNOW01WmJpU0Y2TEMxTDJGZGF0Q 2c&hl=en
Pls give input if there is a big discrepancies in the numbers.
this is good! you even converted the costs to SGD! brilliant. thanks! :)
jefri.misawar
24-05-10, 17:53
I would not be able to complete this without the some of the forumers participation. I intend to summarize for my easy reference but i realize this might be useful for the newbies. I hope with these information, it will help the newbies to make an informed decision. It surely helps me to prepare the relocation financially.
Also, recently I read that PRT's salary will have a minimum salary of IDR 1.1million. Still not sure whether this is already enforced.
Our family will probably move to Indonesia by July this year from SG. Have full house of furnitures shipped from the US just a year ago. Shall we sell them off cheaply before moving, or shall we put them up in the container to ship to Indonesia with us? Is it cheaper to buy or rent there or cheaper to bring to there from SG? Thank you for your advices.
jefri.misawar
27-05-10, 12:59
I'm not sure if the furniture is cheaper in Jakarta vs. Singapopre but most of my friends says yes especially if we like wood type of furniture. For our case, we decided to ship 80% of our furnitures in Singapore since my company is paying for it anyway.
By the way, thank for the detailed expense spread sheet. It does help me to compute the living expense.
Did all of you pay in advance for your rent, let say 24-month of rent all in one payment?
I did with our rented house. From what I understand, it's the norm to pay 12-24 months' worth of rent up front. Just make sure that you inspect the house thoroughly and put through all of your requests before paying up.
Thank you to all - this was quite an education! Thanks for that spreadsheet too - it'll help quite a bit w/ our calculations. We're moving to Jakarta in July also, but only for a few months, then onto Bandung for a year. Will we be able to rent a house in Jakarta for only a 4-5 months? We'd appreciate any further advice about where to live, schooling for our 5 year old son, and whether or not it's worth bringing any of our electronics.
Will we be able to rent a house in Jakarta for only a 4-5 months?
It will be difficult, but not impossible. Expect to pay a premium, though.
We'd appreciate any further advice about where to live, schooling for our 5 year old son, and whether or not it's worth bringing any of our electronics.
Live in Central or South Jakarta. *Maybe* West Jakarta. As far as schools go, you probably need to figure out where you're going to live first. There are plenty of good schools spread out all over the city. Pick your neighborhood and then determine what school he'll go to. Electronics? Leave 'em behind. Bring your laptops, cell phones, iPods, digital cameras, etc... But don't bother bringing TV's, DVD players, gaming consoles, etc... They run on a different voltage and you can get them all here at affordable prices.
Thanks SamanthaB for the input!
jefri.misawar
30-05-10, 17:16
What voltage jakarta is running on?
waarmstrong
30-05-10, 17:52
It will be difficult, but not impossible. Expect to pay a premium, though. Live in Central or South Jakarta. *Maybe* West Jakarta. As far as schools go, you probably need to figure out where you're going to live first. There are plenty of good schools spread out all over the city. Pick your neighborhood and then determine what school he'll go to...
Good advise. But keep in mind, although there are bigger expat numbers in the south, and central Jakarta districts, there are also many, as well good schools, in North and East Jakarta (where we live). Just a thought -- you might find it less costly to live outside the traditional expat enclaves, as well. If your Jakarta stint is short term, a broader search might help in finding a short-term rental.
Is there any more major expenses that we missed out?
Prostitutes?
What voltage jakarta is running on?
240 or 220 volts like Australia and Europe
waarmstrong
01-06-10, 11:25
240 or 220 volts like Australia and Europe
Yes, 240, but not like Australia & Europe. Here there are regular outages while PLN (state power company) gives the squirrels at the plant a rest period.
think_tank
16-06-10, 06:38
Hi Jefri,
I just looked at your spreadsheet and would like to give my input.
Housing Rent 500,000 - that's ok but you would be living quite out there. I think 700-750,000 would be more reasonable accommodation for an expat, at least to begin with, perhaps after a year or two they could move to the kampung if they felt strong enough.
Electricity 500,000 - no way. If your rent is only 500,000 or even 750,000 your electricity will only be 80-250,000 max. Unless of course you have aircons in every room and they are always on but you couldn’t get aircons in every room for under a mill a month in rent, unless it's a studio, so I guess you'd just need lots and lots of aquariums to hit 500,000.
Water & etc 200,000 - if by water you mean AQUA then maybe it would get close to that, but most people living on the low end don't pay water fees they have a pump, which adds to the electricity, but no more than I've mentioned.
Internet Cost 300,000 - telekom speedy is around 230,000 a month. If you don't use it much you can get it for a lot less
Maid Salary 500,000 - that's good but is she live-in or live-out? If she lives in you need to factor in food + extra electricity etc. if she lives out you can bump that down to 400,000 a month, that's what the locals pay
Garderner/Jaga Siang 500,000 - no way, if he only comes to water and weed and he does it every second day you should only pay him around 300,000 at most. That being said, I've never met an expat on the low end who hires a gardener. Most will get their maid to do the watering, and bring an old bloke in for 30,000 once every month perhaps to cut the grass and do the weeding.
Jaga Malam/Satpam 500,000 - that's ok I guess, but again expats on the low end don't have these, if they live in a secure housing area the satpam are already included in the monthly rates.
Driver Salary 1,000,000 - don't forget you have to pay for their meals oh and they usually won't speak English for that price.
Car Installment 2,000,000 - I guess so but if you have got the cash you are better of paying cash, you would pay anything from 30jt - 140jt for decent car that works, less so for the 30jt one, but you could get lucky.
Car Petrol 500,000 - It depends on where you are commuting from, I usually averaged 800-1,000,000 for my 1 hour something commute, if I had an Inova that would be much more, and if I used shell or pertamax it would go up by 30-40%. If your commute is only short, let’s say 30mins, which would cost around 500,000 in an economical car, what do you need a driver for anyway?
Car Misc 500,000 - again depends what car, I probably only pay around that much, but my car doesn't have much go wrong with it and is pretty durable.
Food & Grocery 1,500,000 - Yes that's doable, perhaps you could even knock it down to around 800,000 for a single, considering those on the low end would mostly cook at home
Mobile 200,000 - Good but it depends on use and who you're calling, I know I spend a lot less on my ESIA bill, maybe only 50,000 a month, but the reception isn't very good.
Fix Phone Line 200,000 - Many on the low end don't have phone lines
Drinks/Booze 0 - Many on the low end spend the majority of their income on booze, but we will assume that's not any of us
Cable Movie 150,000 - Good
Garbage 250,000 - No way, not if you paying so little in rent, maybe only 50,000 a month including satpam etc., that's in a secure housing area.
Please forgive me if I'm being too picky but I think your spreadsheet will be a good resource to visitors to this site. Perhaps they can add it to the expat.co.id website.
OK ciao,
-Think_Tank
jefri.misawar
16-06-10, 13:28
Thanks for the input thinktank. Below are my updates on the “low” end spending. No change to medium and high columns.
Housing Rent 500,000 - (Changed to 750,000)
Electricity 500,000 - (Changed to 200,000)
Water & etc 200,000 - (no change)
Internet Cost 300,000 - (changed to 230,000)
Maid Salary 500,000 – (no change)
Garderner/Jaga Siang 500,000 - (changed to 0)
Jaga Malam/Satpam 500,000 - (changed to 0)
Driver Salary 1,000,000 - (changed to 0)
Car Installment 2,000,000 - (no change)
Car Petrol 500,000 - (Changed to 1mil)
Car Misc 500,000 - (no change)
Food & Grocery 1,500,000 - (no change)
Mobile 200,000 - (no change)
Fix Phone Line 200,000 - (changed to 0)
Drinks/Booze 0 - (no change)
Cable Movie 150,000 – (no change)
Garbage 250,000 - (changed to 50,000)
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmqSBIXPatLHdHNNOW01WmJpU0Y2TEMxTDJGZGF0Q 2c&hl=en
think_tank
16-06-10, 21:03
OK,looks much better mate. When will you get here?
jefri.misawar
17-06-10, 01:10
By mid Aug but will be there in July for 1-2weeks for my house hunting.
i just arrived in jakarta 10 days ago, now living in a temp staff house.
hunted for a 3 bedroom apartment few days back near Kemang Area, Eminence Residence I think it was called. Dint know the cost though.
Not sure when I can move in.
Although a lot of the things are covered by the company, after reading the posts here, i may have overpaid for some stuff.
I may have to get a maid that comes in 2 times a week if the budget for the apartment have exceded the allocations.
I am single, dont need a live in maid.
i just arrived in jakarta 10 days ago, now living in a temp staff house.
hunted for a 3 bedroom apartment few days back near Kemang Area, Eminence Residence I think it was called. Dint know the cost though.
Not sure when I can move in.
Although a lot of the things are covered by the company, after reading the posts here, i may have overpaid for some stuff.
I may have to get a maid that comes in 2 times a week if the budget for the apartment have exceded the allocations.
I am single, dont need a live in maid.
Regardless of your budget, if you're single and living in an apartment, I don't think you're going to *want* a live-in maid. Better to just have a visiting one, in my opinion at least.
i just arrived in jakarta 10 days ago, now living in a temp staff house.
hunted for a 3 bedroom apartment few days back near Kemang Area, Eminence Residence I think it was called. Dint know the cost though.
Not sure when I can move in.
Although a lot of the things are covered by the company, after reading the posts here, i may have overpaid for some stuff.
I may have to get a maid that comes in 2 times a week if the budget for the apartment have exceded the allocations.
I am single, dont need a live in maid.
Any particular reason you want a 3 bed apartment for a single person? Go smaller to bring your cost down.
Any particular reason you want a 3 bed apartment for a single person? Go smaller to bring your cost down.
no particular reason, i was given a few choices to choose from by the company, so i just picked the one i fancy.
there was another 2 bedroom in Pondok Indah serviced apartments that cost more than the one i picked i was told.
i was also given the option of a house, but i dint want a house this time.
i was always under the impression eminence was expensive?
why dont you try and get the allowance instead and tell the company you will sort everything out - less headache for them
that way you can go a bit more low scale and keep the change
no way a single guy needs a 3 bed
2 bed is enough and casablanca and others 2 beds can be had for $6-800per month
i think 3 bed at essence must be $2,000 at least pm
so why not make an extra $1,000 per month\
i know one guy who gets $3,000 a month allowance and lives in a 2bed in casablanca about $1000 a month and keeps the rest
think_tank
26-08-10, 06:35
Regardless of your budget, if you're single and living in an apartment, I don't think you're going to *want* a live-in maid. Better to just have a visiting one, in my opinion at least.
True that.
pretty good estimates.. thanks all. The only factor making the difference is the housing.
Hi Samantha, I'm going to stay in Jakarta in Nov/Dec for a short-term business stay (5-6 wks) and I would like to hire a driver and rent a car on a monthly basis. Do you have any recommendation where I can make such arrangement? I'm looking to stay in Jakarta Selatan (south).
hi yuli.. many places rent out a car with driver. Company rates are around 5.5 mill per month with driver ( for Avanza ). grows up as you go for bigger cars. Fuel / driver overtime not included. If you are interested, i can give you a number.
Anybody has a similar breakup for living in Batam??
allthatglitters
09-11-10, 02:12
I'm surprised by the idea that a live-in maid needs to be paid more than a non live-in. Surely, without rent and potentially food provided, the non live-in needs to be paid more.
Hearing about the hours drivers work is saddening.
Anybody has a similar breakup for living in Batam??Check various postings in "Living outside of Jakarta"
This is SOOOO useful! THANK YOU!
Good Threads
for stay in BSD (Bumi Serpong Damai) there are a small house to rent (annual basis), for example on Cluster Sevilla, a house 2 floor with 3 badrooms, 2 bathrooms, about IDR 28.5 juta to IDR 35 juta per year ( or about IDR 55 juta to IDR 60 juta/2 year) exclude electrical, water and other charge if any. its can be alternative
That is true-- the elite in Jakarta are elite by any standard, be it Indonesian, American, or otherwise. Some people in this country have wealth that I can only *dream* about. However, the fact remains that those people are the minority-- the exception to the rule. Leave the greater Jakarta area-- hell, leave Jakarta Pusat/Selatan-- and that fact becomes even more glaringly obvious.
Most every Indonesian that I know lives on between Rp. 2-6 juta a month (or less)-- including some local teachers at a few Nat Plus schools. Those on the higher end of that spectrum are perfectly content, and most all of them are college educated. For most Indonesians that I know, the idea of an Rp. 8 juta/bulan salary would be like hitting the freakin' jackpot, and over Rp. 10 juta/bulan is just beyond comprehension.
I just think it's important for foreigners to keep things in perspective. Can you blow through Rp. 100 juta/bulan? Of course, piece of cake. But can you also live a perfectly comfortable life on Rp. 10 juta a month? For sure. While I don't drink or party, I do NOT attempt to curb my spending in any way. I regularly shop at the upscale, import supermarkets. I go out to eat all the time. I always take Blue Birds. I buy whatever I want, whenever I want. Even with that lifestyle, it's difficult for me to blow through more than about Rp. 20 juta per month. (Much to my husband's chagrin... He'd like to see more money being saved and less being spent on frivolous items. What can I say? I like to shop!) To spend more than that, I'd need to be buying the $2,000 handbags and $1,000 shoes you mentioned.
My budget does have one glaring oversight, however: I don't have kids. As Mas Rob pointed out, add some anak anak into the equation and your expenses can sky rocket. Good schools cost a small fortune, as does quality health care. If you've got kids, and want them to be healthy and well-educated, plan on setting aside a pretty penny to finance that operation. Luckily for my pocketbook, however, I have a five-year IUD and plenty of expendable income. :)
Hi Samantha.
this is a fairly good review of the living cost in Indonesia. Just curios if you were living in Jakarta or somewhere else?
Also, my real query: I've been recently offered a US$ 30000/yr salary to work in Jakarta selatan. I am unmarried and want to know what kind of lifestyle I can expect to have with this salary?
Just for info, I am not a big spender and am looking for a moderate lifestyle - 1 BHK or if these are scarce then 2BHK (not too fancy aprtmnts. but liveable), Local food at local restaurants or home cooked, Transportation and some leisure (movies, eat outs)...thats it!
How much do you think I'd end up spending and eventually, saving at the end of the month off the approx. 2500 US$/month salary?
Any additional info that u mite want to add is always welcome and appreciated!
Thanks,
J
Hi, Jeff.
My husband and I live in Jakarta, although not in the traditional expat area(s) of South Jakarta. We live in a housing complex just West of Permata Hijau, so we're on the fringes of the expat areas. Close enough to be a quick ojek ride away but far enough for our cost of living to be significantly cheaper.
We're both teachers at an International School, so we earn a salary that's better than a 'good' Indonesian salary but not nearly as good as a baseline 'expat' salary. Without disclosing the details of our compensation, I'll say that my personal monthly compensation is in the ballpark of the salary that you're talking about accepting-- but that my contract also includes bonuses, free housing, etc... It's hard to give you the specifics of your cost of living without knowing what, exactly, your compensation package might include. If you have to pay for housing out of your salary, that's going to be a big chunk of your income. If your housing is included, you're going to be perfectly comfortable.
We have a two bedroom/one bathroom+maid bedroom/bathroom house (with kitchen, living room, dining room, front yard, backyard, etc...) that costs approximately Rp. 25-30 juta per year. (I don't know the exact number because our employer paid/pays for it.) A similar house in South Jakarta-proper would probably cost double-- at least.
I'll give you a breakdown on our monthly expenses:
House Phone/Landline: Around Rp. 50.000 per month
Pulsa (Mobile Phones): Around Rp. 300.000 per month
Internet and Cable TV: Around Rp. 250.000 per month
Electricity: Around Rp. 500.000 per month
Water (Tap): Around Rp. 150.000 per month
Water (Bottled): Around Rp. 100.000 per month
Maid: Rp. 1.5 juta per month (That doesn't include her food, pulsa, toiletries, clothing, medical expenses, transportation, school tuition, etc... All of which we provide her with on top of her base salary. That's not the norm, though. Most people pay between Rp. 800k-Rp. 1.25 juta per month for their maid and that is inclusive of everything-- and most people don't pay things like school tuition or clothing for their maids.)
Motorcycle Payments: Around Rp. 3.5 juta per month (That covers the payments on two brand new motorcycles with an 11 month payment plan and hefty down payment.)
That's the cost of living for a household of three-- a household of one would see prices drop in areas like water consumption, electricity, and pulsa. Plus, you probably wouldn't need or want a full-time live-in maid. A part-time, live-out maid is half the price-- or less.
We spend probably about Rp. 2-3 juta per month on groceries, but that's primarily because we do most of our shopping at the import grocery stores like Food Hall, Grand Lucky, Kemchicks, and Ranch Market. If we shopped at the local grocery stores or markets, it would be a lot cheaper.
I don't know what else you might be spending your money on. Things like bowling, going to the movies, museums, etc... are all much cheaper here than they are in the West. A movie ticket will cost you between Rp. 25.000 and Rp. 50.000. A beer, however, or a night of clubbing will cost you a LOT more than you would spend in the West. (Think nearly $2.00 for a single can of beer-- when you buy it in the grocery store.) If you want/need a car+driver, you're looking at another Rp. 4-7 juta per month, depending on the car. Taxis are pretty cheap, compared to fares in the West. Traveling several miles is generally less than $5.00, including tip.
For our household, we're able to pay all of our bills each month, spend pretty freely (I don't go out buying Gucci and Prada, but I also don't pinch pennies when I'm at the grocery store or hesitate to go out for a nice dinner), and end each month with money in the bank. As long as you don't have significant Stateside debts that you're paying on or a drinking habit, $2,500 per month for a single man with no kids can take you pretty damn far in Jakarta.
Hope that helps give you some perspective. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Samantha
I'm sorry, I just need to clarify.... $1000 USD for a purse?
If that that is the case, how disgusting. that's more than I live on per month in the United States now!
seriously. And sorry for jacking the thread.
Housing Rent : 0
Maid Salary : 0
Electricity : 0
Water : 0
Internet, Cable, TV : 0
Driver Salary : 0
Car Installment : 0
Food & Grocery : 500 000
Pusla : 50 000
Transport : 500 000
Cosmetics, make-up, salon : 200 000
Buying stuff (clothes, sandals, households...) : 250 000
Beers, restaurants, smoke, travels outside the city : 750 000/1 000 000
Housing Rent : 0
Maid Salary : 0
Electricity : 0
Water : 0
Internet, Cable, TV : 0
Driver Salary : 0
Car Installment : 0
Food & Grocery : 500 000
Pusla : 50 000
Transport : 500 000
Cosmetics, make-up, salon : 200 000
Buying stuff (clothes, sandals, households...) : 250 000
Beers, restaurants, smoke, travels outside the city : 750 000/1 000 000
you must be married to a bule then?!!?!?
lol
you must be married to a bule then?!!?!?
lol
Not marry.
My employer give lodging, including electricy and water. Internet is also pay by the office. No car, no television.
so a pretty useful addition to this thread then - cost of monthly living data??
erm none - my employer pays it all
ok so for the people who dont have a nice employment package like you - whats the cost of living for them?
thanks
so a pretty useful addition to this thread then - cost of monthly living data??
erm none - my employer pays it all
ok so for the people who dont have a nice employment package like you - whats the cost of living for them?
thanks
"Nice employment package" but I'm living with a monthly allowance of 2 250 000 rupiah/month. A bit hard to afford lodging expenses.
ok well perhaps u can put what ur rent is, whether or not u pay it yourself, the idea is we get a rough idea of what it costs to live here, regardless of who is paying for it
ok well perhaps u can put what ur rent is, whether or not u pay it yourself, the idea is we get a rough idea of what it costs to live here, regardless of who is paying for it
Oups, sorry, i did not get it that way, i'm always bad with budget matter.
So :
House rent : 4 000 000/year
Electricity and water : 75 000/month
Internet and phone line : 200 000/month
Hi, Jeff.
My husband and I live in Jakarta, although not in the traditional expat area(s) of South Jakarta. We live in a housing complex just West of Permata Hijau, so we're on the fringes of the expat areas. Close enough to be a quick ojek ride away but far enough for our cost of living to be significantly cheaper.
We're both teachers at an International School, so we earn a salary that's better than a 'good' Indonesian salary but not nearly as good as a baseline 'expat' salary. Without disclosing the details of our compensation, I'll say that my personal monthly compensation is in the ballpark of the salary that you're talking about accepting-- but that my contract also includes bonuses, free housing, etc... It's hard to give you the specifics of your cost of living without knowing what, exactly, your compensation package might include. If you have to pay for housing out of your salary, that's going to be a big chunk of your income. If your housing is included, you're going to be perfectly comfortable.
We have a two bedroom/one bathroom+maid bedroom/bathroom house (with kitchen, living room, dining room, front yard, backyard, etc...) that costs approximately Rp. 25-30 juta per year. (I don't know the exact number because our employer paid/pays for it.) A similar house in South Jakarta-proper would probably cost double-- at least.
I'll give you a breakdown on our monthly expenses:
House Phone/Landline: Around Rp. 50.000 per month
Pulsa (Mobile Phones): Around Rp. 300.000 per month
Internet and Cable TV: Around Rp. 250.000 per month
Electricity: Around Rp. 500.000 per month
Water (Tap): Around Rp. 150.000 per month
Water (Bottled): Around Rp. 100.000 per month
Maid: Rp. 1.5 juta per month (That doesn't include her food, pulsa, toiletries, clothing, medical expenses, transportation, school tuition, etc... All of which we provide her with on top of her base salary. That's not the norm, though. Most people pay between Rp. 800k-Rp. 1.25 juta per month for their maid and that is inclusive of everything-- and most people don't pay things like school tuition or clothing for their maids.)
Motorcycle Payments: Around Rp. 3.5 juta per month (That covers the payments on two brand new motorcycles with an 11 month payment plan and hefty down payment.)
That's the cost of living for a household of three-- a household of one would see prices drop in areas like water consumption, electricity, and pulsa. Plus, you probably wouldn't need or want a full-time live-in maid. A part-time, live-out maid is half the price-- or less.
We spend probably about Rp. 2-3 juta per month on groceries, but that's primarily because we do most of our shopping at the import grocery stores like Food Hall, Grand Lucky, Kemchicks, and Ranch Market. If we shopped at the local grocery stores or markets, it would be a lot cheaper.
I don't know what else you might be spending your money on. Things like bowling, going to the movies, museums, etc... are all much cheaper here than they are in the West. A movie ticket will cost you between Rp. 25.000 and Rp. 50.000. A beer, however, or a night of clubbing will cost you a LOT more than you would spend in the West. (Think nearly $2.00 for a single can of beer-- when you buy it in the grocery store.) If you want/need a car+driver, you're looking at another Rp. 4-7 juta per month, depending on the car. Taxis are pretty cheap, compared to fares in the West. Traveling several miles is generally less than $5.00, including tip.
For our household, we're able to pay all of our bills each month, spend pretty freely (I don't go out buying Gucci and Prada, but I also don't pinch pennies when I'm at the grocery store or hesitate to go out for a nice dinner), and end each month with money in the bank. As long as you don't have significant Stateside debts that you're paying on or a drinking habit, $2,500 per month for a single man with no kids can take you pretty damn far in Jakarta.
Hope that helps give you some perspective. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thank you so much for writing your thoughts in this detail. Its very helpful.
Now, I might get a little irritating from here on :smile2: but I am utilizing all sources of info as I can at this point to make the right decision...and u seem like a really reliable source...hence request some more of your useful contribution.
Let me address your points with my replies one by one:
"My husband and I live in Jakarta, although not in the traditional expat area(s) of South Jakarta..." - My office is located in Kav.5 Jakarta Selatan. While I am not at all picky of staying 'only' in expat region, I dont mind staying at a place which is surrounded by locals till the time its safe and decent and not overly posh. At the same time, it wouldnt hurt to have few expat friends around in the same area for familiarity. According to this, which areas would u suggest I pick on first while keeping in mind that I'm single guy and so not looking for luxurious aptmnts but shouldnt be shoddy as well. A good 1 or max. 2BHK would suffice.
"We're both teachers at an International School, so we earn a salary that's better than a 'good' Indonesian salary but not nearly as good as a baseline 'expat' salary..." - How would, if you had to, rate the salary package offered to me as per the Indonesian/Expat standards? :smile2: Superb - Good - average - Bad - S**T :(
"If you have to pay for housing out of your salary, that's going to be a big chunk of your income. If your housing is included, you're going to be perfectly comfortable." - Housing is a part of my package, but as a seperate component from my salary. So Salary + Housing + Others = Package offered. But due to the prevalent renting conditions, my employer has offered to pay 6 mnth advance rent upfront, which will later deducted/not included in my salary. Do u think this is the prevalent thing and a good method?
"We have a two bedroom/one bathroom+maid bedroom/bathroom house..... A similar house in South Jakarta-proper would probably cost double-- at least." - As I said above, I'm presently single and thus would prefer a 1BHK arragement. However, if these are scarce in Jakarta or cost almost equal to a 2BHK, then I wont mind renting a 2BHK too. Again, considering that I'm looking for a modest accomodation minus luxuries but running water/elect/safe surroundings/close access to shopping places etc., where and for how much per month do you think I'd find such an aptmt for?
"I'll give you a breakdown on our monthly expenses:
House Phone/Landline: Around Rp. 50.000 per month
Pulsa (Mobile Phones): Around Rp. 300.000 per month
Internet and Cable TV: Around Rp. 250.000 per month
Electricity: Around Rp. 500.000 per month
Water (Tap): Around Rp. 150.000 per month
Water (Bottled): Around Rp. 100.000 per month
Maid: Rp. 1.5 juta per month"
- From your above expenses, the ones I can relate to myself are below. Plz assign an approx monthly figure that you feel I'd spend against the items:
Mobile Phones (Calling Mainly outside Indonesia):
Cable Tv:
Electricity:
Water (Drinking and Tap):
Unless the maids (non live-in) are easily available and cheap, I dont think I'd really require one. What do you think? What works do they do/are expected to do in the house?
"We spend probably about Rp. 2-3 juta per month on groceries, but that's primarily because we do most of our shopping at the import grocery stores.... " - Thats one of my main concerns. What is the most easily available source of daily food in case I dont cook any of my meals? I am not a fancy eater at posh restaurant (at least not daily) and can live off local food (unless hygiene is an issue) with some cooking done at home on weekends maybe. Also, it doesnt really matter that I buy from fancy supermarkets or big retailers. Local ones, till the time they stock what I need, would do just fine...what do you think in these cases, my approx monthly spend on Food would be?
I don't know what else you might be spending your money on. Things like bowling, going to the movies, museums, etc... - I love to travel and wont mind going for small trups to nearby places/beaches for a day or two. Again, nothing luxurious but somewhat backpacking trips. Any idea of the costs for these? Any particular location, quoted as example, would be perfect.
Finally, there are a couple of things which are bothering me abt my future employer that I wanted to know of. My employer has included a 2500 $ visa fee in my package over and above my given package i.e. 30k. This is not paid to me so it gets straightaway deducted and paid to the embassy. I wanted to know if the actual cost of Work visa is really this high??!! It is really bothering me that this big chunk will be taken out of my package and wont reach me at all. Any idea....
Thanks once again Samatha for your useful inputs and look forward to the same on the above as well...I know I've asked too many questions but I really am depending on these forum inputs for my primary info.
Thanks again!
J
vin.vierge
12-01-11, 10:43
2500 usd for working permit is outrageous imo
my company use an agent dealing with this issue
5 - 6.4 mills IDR for expats who domicile in South Jakarta
they even offer normal process or express process
MOBILE: 3, indosat (Int's Flat call 01016)
TAKE OUTS/DELIVERY SERVICE:
fast food: BK, Mc D, KFC, A&W
Japanese: GOKANA TEPPAN, HOKA HOKA BENTO
Pizza: PIZZA HUT, DOMINO'S
Italian: PEPENERO
Seafood: D'cost
FLATS:
3 to 4,5 mills per month or 30 mills to 40 mills per year 1BR or studio apartment around south jakarta
5 to 10 mills per month or 40 to 100 mills per year 2 to 3 BR apartment
my friend got lucky and found a 2BR flat in Kalibata south jakarta for 20 mills per year I wonder how she got it
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_cities_for_expatriate_emplo yees
Jakarta is not an expensive city but it's actually not a cheap city either. You can live cheaply but you generally get what you pay for. Most people I know prioritize. Go cheap on things that matter less and splurge on the things that matter more.
There are a lot of little costs that add up if you try to enjoy a "western" quality of life.
aussiejohn
12-01-11, 14:32
If you could send me the details of your agent that would be great. I have moving to Jakarta and have been quoted USD2500 to obtain my work permit. As I am running my own business, any reductions in costs will be greatly appreciated.
Rachel Deborah
13-01-11, 22:33
wow... that's detail... well.. I can say that you salary MUST be enough for the kind of living you want... it is very enough. I can't give you more detail than that of Samantha's :)) let's see when you are in town
Oups, sorry, i did not get it that way, i'm always bad with budget matter.
So :
House rent : 4 000 000/year
Electricity and water : 75 000/month
Internet and phone line : 200 000/month
Hi Sopie,
Just wanted to confirm - are you sharing your accomodation and related expenses with roomates?
Coz the approx estimates that I've been given by my employer - to - be are:
Internet + cable Rp 600,000 Water + Electricity Rp 500,000
Also, how much do you think a decent and not luxurious 1BHK or 2BHK would rent per month in Jakarta selatan? I'm not looking to share this...at least thats what I hope for.
Any additional info wud be helpful and appreciated.
thanks,
J
wow... that's detail... well.. I can say that you salary MUST be enough for the kind of living you want... it is very enough. I can't give you more detail than that of Samantha's :)) let's see when you are in town
Thanks Rachel.
However, it wud be really helpful if u cud get me some more details arnd hw much wud a 1BHK or max. 2BHK rent come to per month in a moderate and non luxurious but safe area? u can add the elec+water approximation as well if u can...
Also, hw is the scenario for food in Jakarta? where and for how much does a usual person eat his meal?
Srry for being a bug bt i gotta make a very quick decision and so need any and all info abt this salary level as pssble..
thnx again :smile:
J
Hi Sopie,
Just wanted to confirm - are you sharing your accomodation and related expenses with roomates?
Coz the approx estimates that I've been given by my employer - to - be are:
Internet + cable Rp 600,000 Water + Electricity Rp 500,000
Also, how much do you think a decent and not luxurious 1BHK or 2BHK would rent per month in Jakarta selatan? I'm not looking to share this...at least thats what I hope for.
Any additional info wud be helpful and appreciated.
thanks,
J
Hi Jeff
I'm in Sulawesi Selatan, much more cheaper than Jakarta. The cost of the house is whatever how many people live there. And I'm not in the capital, but in a small town close to Makassar, cheaper again.
Hi Guys,
If I move to JKT, as I might in September, my priority as far as what I want to put my money into will be living somewhere nice. (Not interested in booze, can do without when it's so expensive!) I believe my salary would be in the R14jt area. If I want to live in one of those nice apartments with pool and gym in the same complex, like Taman Rasuna, how expensive will the bills be? I'm concerned by the mention above of if you live in an apartment, you have to pay extra expensive utility bills... Also do you have any recommendations/knowledge of any other apartments with pool etc in the complex and that it's easy to get to Kuningan from?
Thanks in advance for any info!! :)
An update.
I'm now in Jakarta so things are very different.
Rent - 2 juta/month (I was ripped off - less next year) - Nice cluster with uniformed security etc.
Food - a bit over 2 juta but that hits 3 if we go wild on take away
Electricity including AC at night - 150,000
water is in with service charges - 150,000
Security - 50,000
Hi Guys,
If I move to JKT, as I might in September, my priority as far as what I want to put my money into will be living somewhere nice. (Not interested in booze, can do without when it's so expensive!) I believe my salary would be in the R14jt area. If I want to live in one of those nice apartments with pool and gym in the same complex, like Taman Rasuna, how expensive will the bills be? I'm concerned by the mention above of if you live in an apartment, you have to pay extra expensive utility bills... Also do you have any recommendations/knowledge of any other apartments with pool etc in the complex and that it's easy to get to Kuningan from?
Thanks in advance for any info!! :)
Check the apartments for rent. It will give you a more informed statement.
Generally though, 14 juta means staying in a rent house or a kost.
cost of living in south jakarta in palm court
BrianJChicago
09-04-11, 08:35
Very useful thread.
It seems my biggest expense in Indonesia will be my student debt to an American bank. I hope I can get a teaching job for at least 11 juta.
mike ariteus
09-04-11, 11:11
if you want to know how much you have electricity billing. you can input your Identification number register in this web http://202.162.217.251/info_billing/index.php
for simulation your electricity billing info you can browse this web .. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:XSvQXWN0pSIJ:www.pln.co.id/pro00/component/content/article/90.html+simulasi+pln&cd=2&hl=id&ct=clnk&gl=id&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.co.id
I am very interested in knowing a little more about the highspeed Internet.
I am a very simple man, all i need to keep me busy is a gym and a very fast connection, what sort of connections are available in Jakarta central or north? and for how much, if any one could answer me on that, i will be a very happy man when arriving.
travellingchez
07-12-11, 07:43
I have First Media cable. I pay 500,000rp a month for 1.5Mbit/s and every single cable channel available (not that I really watch them).
For Indonesia it's pretty fast and reliable. I can easily stream videos or download most of the time. Late evening is slower but still very workable. They do different packages or T.V and internet or just internet.
What I pay for living in Jakarta Barat
House 2 bedrooms and a back yard- 18 mil/year (15 mil covered by my office)
Maid-don't have one
Gardener-300,000/month
Water/Electricity/Security-450,000-500,000/month
Food-roughly 4 mil a month for a family of four
Mobile-100,000/month
Petrol for motorbike-120,000 a month (how ever I revieve 1.5 million in travel allowance monthly)
Cable-250,000 month
Internet-200,000 month
Ciggs-160,000/month
Fun/Going Out-300,000-400,000 roughly (my Wife and I don't drink)
Misc.-maybe 1 mil to 1.5/month
1.5M??? argg and i am already struggling with my 20meg back here.
travellingchez
08-12-11, 06:44
1.5M??? argg and i am already struggling with my 20meg back here.
That's fast for here ;)
I don't know about now...but a couple months ago I think First Media had a promo...you pay for the 3Mb price but you get 6Mb (advertised...of course...actual speed varies).
Cost of Living in Jakarta Utara
(To be specific, Bukit Golf Mediterania in PIK.)
Rent on a newish two story, three bedroom/2.5 bathroom corner lot house in an 'exclusive' gated community: Rp. 55.000.000,- per year
Monthly fees to complex management for security, cleaning, maintenance, and landscaping, PLUS household water, sewage, and daily trash pickup: Around Rp. 300.000,-, although it varies depending on how much water we use.
Prepaid electricity through PLN: Around Rp. 500.000,- per month, depending on usage.
Simple household phone line through Telkom: Rp. 60.000,- per month
Internet: Rp. 650.000,- per month
Household staff salaries: Rp. 4.000.000,- per month (But we pay way over market rate for our employees...)
Indovision satellite cable in several rooms: Rp. 300.000,- per month
BlackBerry unlimited data service through Telkomsel: Rp. 99.000,- per phone, per month.
Bottled water (from Aqua): Around Rp. 60.000,- per month
El Piji propane tanks for the stove: We replace it so infrequently, I don't know! I think a tank lasts us about 6 months.
Gas for the motorcycles: Less than Rp. 100.000,- per month (We work very close to home, though, so we're not really commuting.)
We also have three motorcycles that we use for transportation, but they're all long since paid off. Miscellaneous expenses include taxis and tolls-- probably around Rp. 1.000.000,- per month-- and food/entertainment costs.
waarmstrong
09-12-11, 10:34
Sam, a question. Do you guys have more than one Indovision dish? I understand if you want to be able the watch two channels simultaneously, you have to have two subscriptions i.e. two dishes, two boxes, two remotes, two TV's, all on separate cables. Is that correct?
Sam, a question. Do you guys have more than one Indovision dish? I understand if you want to be able the watch two channels simultaneously, you have to have two subscriptions i.e. two dishes, two boxes, two remotes, two TV's, all on separate cables. Is that correct?
Yes Warmie... If you want to watch 2 different channels simultaneously you'll need to have 2 indovision decoders... Or else its all parallel only which means the same channels for all rooms.. :)
waarmstrong
09-12-11, 20:01
Thanks for the heads up. That's as I understand the Indovision thing, Roy, but I was hoping Sam had found a way to split the signal. Likely not.
Waarm: any satellite system will need to do that. Some dishes have two receivers on the dish so you ca. Do picture in picture or watch one show while recoding another (ala tivo). It has to be like this because the signal can only be interpreted by one receiver. No way to split it.
waarmstrong
09-12-11, 23:47
Actually its the common arrangement in the USA -- one dish, one box, and at least two remotes for two signals. If the technology is as you say, I suppose dishes in the USA come standard with two receivers (or maybe more).
Actually its the common arrangement in the USA -- one dish, one box, and at least two remotes for two signals. If the technology is as you say, I suppose dishes in the USA come standard with two receivers (or maybe more).
Warmie, the dish can be connected to multiple decoders (splitter required) no problems but Indovision will not issue another Viewing Card to activate the decoder unless we pay for it a monthly charge...
waarmstrong
10-12-11, 00:09
Now I am confused. How do you reconcile Rabbit's comment with what Roy just said?
Now I am confused. How do you reconcile Rabbit's comment with what Roy just said?
Very simple warmie... If you have 2 different decoders using 2 different Active Viewing Cards you can connect both of them to 1 dish using a a splitter... You can even have the Indovision people come and do it for you free.. The only thing is that you would be paying for 2 subscriptions then...
I've been out of the satellite tv game for a while, but a dish with a dual LNB can only carry 2 signals. <shrug>
A splitter is not so easy (conflicts interaction between receiver and LNB during zapping). In fact you need a multi (duo, quad, ...) LNB. Disadvantage is that there will be multiple coax cables exiting the LNB. There is one system that supports multiple signals over one physical cable: the Unicable. But then you need receivers that support this standard.
For multiple satellite positions and no 'motorized aiming' system, you can install multiple LNB's next to each other.
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQi2mtn41fB5SNh39-SysGZcl41rstR2I-_wB1eD71xFnRBE0Ap
waarmstrong
10-12-11, 11:54
Life is complex.
john madden
10-12-11, 13:00
Eh? I thought it was all about the money.
waarmstrong
10-12-11, 13:25
Yes, John "complex" is a euphemism for "I cannot afford it" or "It’s too expensive," i.e. "It’s all about the money." Feel free to tap me for an explanation, any time.
Jakarta scores 69th place on the wiki list of expat cities http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_cities_for_expatriate_emplo yees
This is above places like LA, Dubai, Calgary, Montreal and Washington. Index is based on a 200 item price list.
On another list (cant find it back) Jakarta scored an index figure of 87 compared to NY (100). With the current inflation rates it takes only 4 to 5 yrs before Jakarta gets more expensive than NY.
I don't think education is included in the lists. But for an expat family with schoolgoing kids, it can get pretty expensive if you select an international or good quality national-plus school and look for good housing in the center. Taxation isn't included as well in the indexes, which might be a positive thing for some.
Jakarta scores 69th place on the wiki list of expat cities http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_cities_for_expatriate_emplo yees
This is above places like LA, Dubai, Calgary, Montreal and Washington. Index is based on a 200 item price list.
On another list (cant find it back) Jakarta scored an index figure of 87 compared to NY (100). With the current inflation rates it takes only 4 to 5 yrs before Jakarta gets more expensive than NY.
I don't think education is included in the lists. But for an expat family with schoolgoing kids, it can get pretty expensive if you select an international or good quality national-plus school and look for good housing in the center. Taxation isn't included as well in the indexes, which might be a positive thing for some.
So Jakarta is considered even more expensive than LA ?
If that's the case then there is a real problem here regarding the huge gaps between Cost of Living and Sallaries of the locals here...
john madden
11-12-11, 20:54
Yes, John "complex" is a euphemism for "I cannot afford it" or "It’s too expensive," i.e. "It’s all about the money." Feel free to tap me for an explanation, any time.
Now if you'd said that "Life is complex" was another way of saying that life is a hierarchy of tautologies I'd have likely agreed.
waarmstrong
11-12-11, 21:00
Ya, what you said ... like that.
You may not be a drinker now, but just wait, after a few weeks in Jakarta, you will definitely need a drink or two or three. Keep that alcohol in your budget my friend. :D
So Jakarta is considered even more expensive than LA ?
If that's the case then there is a real problem here regarding the huge gaps between Cost of Living and Sallaries of the locals here...
Not necessarily. You have to look beyond the simple numbers and the pretty charts. from the article:
"The cost of housing plays an important part in determining where cities are ranked. Two main factors determine a city’s ranking in Mercer’s survey - the relative strength of the relevant currency against the US dollar over the prior 12 months and price movements over the prior 12 months compared to those in New York City as the base."
Cost of housing in Jakarta is not cheaper than Los Angeles when you look at some of the apartments being rented at thousands of dollars per month.
Then there's the strength of the IDR vs USD. All that tells me that the rating system is quite complex with each of the 200 items probably have a different weighted value (just a guess).
Plus this list specifically for expatriates, to be used to calculate a compensation base.
I am sure they didn't use Rp 8000 per portion of nasi goreng for the cost of food for the expats. But perhaps a mid range restaurant, which can be Rp 200,000 per person. Normal price for most of the US (perhaps even on the high side).
Look beyond the surface. I noticed that is not one of your strengths or even something you're interested in doing.
Not necessarily. You have to look beyond the simple numbers and the pretty charts. from the article:
"The cost of housing plays an important part in determining where cities are ranked. Two main factors determine a city’s ranking in Mercer’s survey - the relative strength of the relevant currency against the US dollar over the prior 12 months and price movements over the prior 12 months compared to those in New York City as the base."
Cost of housing in Jakarta is not cheaper than Los Angeles when you look at some of the apartments being rented at thousands of dollars per month.
Then there's the strength of the IDR vs USD. All that tells me that the rating system is quite complex with each of the 200 items probably have a different weighted value (just a guess).
Plus this list specifically for expatriates, to be used to calculate a compensation base.
I am sure they didn't use Rp 8000 per portion of nasi goreng for the cost of food for the expats. But perhaps a mid range restaurant, which can be Rp 200,000 per person. Normal price for most of the US (perhaps even on the high side).
Look beyond the surface. I noticed that is not one of your strengths or even something you're interested in doing.
Just take a look at the housing prices in Jakarta... How is someone going to afford a house here with only Rp.5jt salary ?
Honestly, do you actually pay only Rp.8'000 per day for your workers Food Money (Uang Makan) ? If not then how much do you pay ?
Roy, the study is for expatriates. What it's looking at are not what can be available for the locals. <shrug> I'm baffled too as to how you can be so dense. Almost like you're trolling for responses.
Roy, the study is for expatriates. What it's looking at are not what can be available for the locals. <shrug> I'm baffled too as to how you can be so dense. Almost like you're trolling for responses.
Ok lets leave that study... I found this blog here http://erander.wordpress.com/2008/07/22/biaya-hidup-di-indonesia/ and it talks about the cost of living and minimal earnings (locals) for different cities in Indonesia... Those data's are from 2008...
Waarm, we have one satellite dish but multiple decoders-- and we have to pay a bill for each decoder. I think it's Rp. 149.000,- per month per decoder for the full package. Cheap if you only want it in one room, but it adds up quickly when you have multiple TVs. We had our handiman research options to *ahem* 'split' the signal so that we could pay once but have the cable in all of the rooms. Apparently it's simply not possible, unless you want every room to show the same thing at the same time.
... and with an increasingly degraded signal. Depending on the number of additional sets and the distance between the splitter and the set(s) you may need to add an amplifier.
Jefri, I am going to be an expat in Jakarta, family of 5 (kids 13,15,17) and two dogs. Do you or anyone have more updated figures for cost of living. Thanks so much to all for such a useful thread. We are nervous, no idea about schools, house, cars, language, but we are ready for the change....
Dear all,
Looking into moving into Jakarta soon. Looking for the nicest areas to live (safe, green areas around, near Jakarta International School, guarded by nights, not a lot of traffic, near or inside a Golf course (... yes I know, I am dreaming, but want to know the NAMES of these great areas I have heard expats live). I know it's too much to ask, but I want to see the sky as my high-end reference for house monthly renting....
thanks in advance for all, and my family of 5 and two dogs thank you too.
You should probably have a look around Pondok Indah, that's around JIS, shopping malls, and a golf course. For a comfortable house you'll most likely be spending above $2500 per month. Google will help you in finding any listings around there :)
waarmstrong
07-10-12, 21:03
Check out these sites for ideas about location (Pondok Indah, Cilandak, Kemang) and cost: http://www.rumah.com/ & http://www.rumah123.com/.
I find it amazing how much prices differ according to what area you will be living in. Many expats here write "Jakarta-Selatan", but seem to be rather unspecific. Don't forget that Jakarta is a pretty big city and "South Jakarta" in its local interpretation can mean anything from Senopati area and even SCBD, which is still quite central, down to Cilandak and beyond. And naturally the prices will vary substantially in accordance with that.
Here's my breakdown of fixed costs.
1 BR Apartment, off Jalan Senopati, about 44mē (448 sq.feet), furnished & serviced - $770 US/month net cost (paid in advance for 12 months)
Maid - 3 times a week cleaning and washing clothes are included
Security - included
Electricity - 350.000 IDR
Phone - 120.000 IDR
Aqua (drinking water) - 100.000 IDR
Internet (FirstMedia 3 MB) - 375.000 IDR
Taxis (for leisure only, as I can walk to the office) - 500.000 IDR
Food Shopping - 2 Mio. IDR (I shop mostly at Kemchicks 'cause I can take Indo food a maximum of once a week and enjoy cooking Western dishes)
Dining Out - 3 Mio. IDR (see above, I prioritize patronising decent restaurants)
Booze - 800.000 IDR (luckily I'm a beer and whisky drinker, if I were into wine it would definitely bankrupt me)
Fitness Center - 577.000 IDR (can't live on gourmet meals and booze alone now can I)
Total: About 15.5 mio. IDR/month. Since my salary isn't all that great, I only get little room left to wiggle my feet with those costs, but since it's enough to maintain the relative luxuries of eating and drinking well (both at home and in restaurants), I see it as a stepping stone (still at the beginning of my career) and there's still enough in it for the occasional gift for the better half, I'm not complaining.
After thought: I also pay my health insurance privately, which runs me about 1.9 mio. IDR a month, but I left it out because for most folks that will also be a separate issue, I guess and will usually be covered by the employer.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.1.12 Copyright © 2013 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.