Jakarta vs Beirut Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Jakarta leads on CPI (25.3 vs 35.7, NYC=100), Jakarta leads on rent index, and Jakarta leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Jakarta
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Transport (765% gap, Jakarta ahead); Internet (632% gap, Jakarta ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $141 lower in Jakarta than in Beirut (~24% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $141 (favoring Jakarta).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Jakarta | CPI 25.3 vs 35.7 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Jakarta | Rent index 15.3 vs 18.9 (lower is better) |
| Food | Jakarta | Groceries index 34.6 vs 45.4 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Jakarta | One-way ticket 7137.77 vs 61772.9 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Jakarta | Utilities (85m²) 498780 vs 3383100 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Jakarta | Internet 369684 vs 2706480 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Jakarta | Restaurant index 20 vs 35 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Beirut | Avg net salary 136505400 vs 39615520 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Jakarta | PP index 39.2 vs 24.6 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Transport: Jakarta leads with a 765% gap.
One-way ticket 7137.77 vs 61772.9 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Jakarta — Lower housing / rent index (24% gap).
- Families: Jakarta — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Jakarta; purchasing power favors Jakarta.
- Remote Workers: Jakarta — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Jakarta (~41% gap).
- Budget Living: Jakarta — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Jakarta is the overall cost winner on CPI (~41% lower everyday-cost index than Beirut).
- Housing: Jakarta leads on rent index (24% gap).
- Food / groceries: Jakarta is lower (31% gap).
- Purchasing power: Jakarta scores higher (37% gap).
- Largest category gap: Transport (765%), favoring Jakarta.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$141 cheaper in Jakarta.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 25.3/35.7, rent 15.3/18.9, purchasing power 39.2/24.6. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.