大咖福利影院

We are a family of four and spend around Rp2,100,000 for electricity each month. We have 7 aircon units but use just 3 of them at night.

We spend over Rp1 million per month for 2 internet accounts/mobiles.

Probably a full tank of petrol per month, around Rp700,000

Gas @Rp250k and that lasts a few months.

Garbage Rp50k per month.

Can't remember what my car insurance costs but maybe around Rp5 million.

BPJS Rp150k per person per month.

Supermarkets maybe Rp4 - 5 million per month.

@wyngrove60

Thanks, this is very helpful and actually sounds more manageable than I expected for a family of four.

May I ask which city/area you鈥檙e living in?

Also curious,聽 in your experience, what expense categories tend to increase the most over time? Is it mostly healthcare, utilities, schooling, eating out, etc.?

@nickelodeon

As an Indonesian citizen considering a move back to your home country something that should be on your radar is the political climate. This can affect your standard of living particularly given that the current president Prabowo Subianto, like all military men, does not understand economics. He recently sacked his highly regarded finance minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati who for the last 20 years had instilled fiscal discipline to the Indonesian economy.

The financial markets are not happy with the way the economy is being steered.

If your pension remains in Canada to be paid in IDR you will benefit from the weakness of the IDR provided inflation does not overtake the gains the C$ will make.

Sometimes its better to look at the bigger picture rather than just the cost of groceries in the shops or the price of petrol at the pump.

@nickelodeon

We live in Bandung.

Perhaps schooling increases more than most other things. We've changed schools a few times, done some homeschooling. At the moment, we pay Rp2.5 million per month for a child at one school and Rp4.5 million per month for the other. The non-refundable deposits are a bit high, I think we paid around Rp50 million for one and Rp25 million for the other. Both schools are pretty good, one only uses Indonesian while the other uses English. There is a proper International School in Bandung but it's too expensive for us. But the two schools we use have very good ratings.

As for eating out, there are always new places opening and the standard of places to eat is always improving. We eat in nice places as well as street food. For a good meal in a nice place you might spend Rp300k give or take for two people. There is just so much choice of restaurants that you can find food in all price ranges. If you google "Wheels Coffee Roasters", this is one of the places we like to eat at. The prices are really reasonable and the standard and selection of food is excellent, and the place is really nice, connected to Uniqlo and Heritage factory outlet.

If you want Padang food, then the prices vary from around Rp15k for a full meal from a really cheap warung to perhaps Rp120k at a nicer place.聽 I've seen the price of Nasi Rendang meal increase from Rp15k to Rp18k and more recently to Rp20k which is still incredibly cheap and depending on where you eat can be very delicious.

@Lotus Eater

I understand your point and I鈥檓 trying to consider the bigger picture as well, not just current living costs. At this stage I honestly don鈥檛 know what the final outcome will look like, but I鈥檓 trying to gather as much real-world information as possible to understand what is realistically sustainable long-term.

@wyngrove60

Thanks again, this is extremely helpful and gives a much more realistic picture than generic online cost-of-living estimates.

Out of curiosity, over the past few years, which recurring expenses have increased the most for you personally? Has it mainly been schooling, healthcare, utilities, eating out, or something else?

Also, do you still feel Bandung remains reasonably affordable long-term for a middle-class lifestyle, or has the cost pressure changed noticeably in recent years?

I think schooling has increased. Back before Covid we paid around Rp15 million per trimester for 2 kids at school. The current rate for the same school would be Rp9 million per month. Obviously the kids would now be at a different level but still, it's a big increase.

You need to research schools a lot. You cannot simply apply to any school to put your kids in. Each school has a quota, kids need to take tests, there are deadlines to take these tests so you need to contact suitable schools well in advance, often a year in advance. There are also deadlines to pay that first non-refundable deposit or registration fee.

We chose Bandung because it is very different from any other place in Indonesia. It's much more relaxed than places like Bali or Jakarta which we find very hectic and stressful. The climate is much cooler than most other parts, it's elevation is 2,520 ft. It's easily accessible to Jakarta and the people here are really nice. The Chinese part of the population treat non Chinese the same as themselves which is not really the case in other parts of the country.

I don't really compare the cost of living here against that of Jakarta or Bali, it's more of living in a much more friendly and relaxed place. Every street seems to me lined with huge trees, lots of cafes and restaurants in old colonial bungalows, some nice shopping malls, fantastic street food, on weekends people are jogging or cycling all over the city, it's just a very nice and relaxing place to live. We just returned a moment ago from a 4 days shopping and eating break in Jakarta and we are so glad to be home.