I'm writing this from Jakarta. I've been here for a few weeks and I keep asking myself the same question: why doesn't anyone talk about this city?
Everyone in Southeast Asia goes to Bali. Some people go to Yogyakarta. Almost nobody — at least among the digital nomad / long-term traveler crowd — ends up in Jakarta. That's a mistake.
What Jakarta actually is
Jakarta is a megacity of 10+ million people. It's the capital of Indonesia, a major business hub, and has one of the most diverse and underrated food scenes in all of Asia. It has malls that rival Singapore, beaches within 2 hours, and a cost of living that makes Bangkok look expensive.
It's also chaotic, sprawling, and takes a few days to figure out. That's probably why people skip it. Their loss.
Cost of living
This is where it gets interesting. Jakarta is genuinely one of the cheapest cities in Southeast Asia for the level of quality you get.
Accommodation:
- Budget guesthouse: $15–25/night
- Good serviced apartment: $35–55/night
- Decent monthly rental (furnished studio): $400–700/month
- That's significantly cheaper than Bangkok for comparable quality
Food:
- Warung meal (local restaurant): 20,000–40,000 IDR ($1.25–2.50 USD)
- Mid-range restaurant: 80,000–150,000 IDR (~$5–9 USD)
- Western café lunch: 80,000–150,000 IDR
- You can eat extremely well for under $10/day
Transport:
- Grab is ubiquitous and cheap. Cross-city ride: 30,000–80,000 IDR (~$2–5 USD)
- MRT and TransJakarta bus network covers a lot of the city and costs a few thousand IDR per trip
- Ojek (motorbike taxi via Gojek) for short hops: 10,000–25,000 IDR
Overall monthly budget: $700–1,100/month for a comfortable life — below Bangkok, significantly below Bali.
The food scene
Jakarta's food is the real reason to come. Indonesia has hundreds of regional cuisines and Jakarta, as the capital, has all of them.
Things you need to eat:
- Nasi Padang — Minangkabau food from West Sumatra. You sit down, they bring 8–12 small dishes of curries, rendang, and vegetables, and you pay for what you eat. Rendang from a good Padang place in Jakarta is one of the best things I've eaten anywhere.
- Soto Betawi — Jakarta's own beef soup with coconut milk. Rich, deeply flavoured, eaten for breakfast.
- Gado-gado — peanut sauce salad with tofu, tempeh, vegetables, and lontong (rice cake). Cheap, filling, excellent.
- Street food markets (Pasar) — every neighborhood has one. Go in the evening.
- PIK 2 food strip — newer area in North Jakarta with hundreds of restaurants, very local, very cheap.
What to do
Jakarta isn't a sightseeing city in the traditional sense. There are things to see, but the experience is about living in it.
Kota Tua (Old Town): Dutch colonial architecture, museums, the old port. Worth a half-day.
SCBD and Sudirman: The modern business/expat district. Good coffee shops, co-working spaces, walkable streets (rare in Jakarta).
Ancol: Beach resort area on the north coast. Not pristine, but a legitimate beach escape 30–45 minutes from the center.
Thousand Islands (Pulau Seribu): Day trip or overnight from the port at Ancol. White sand, clear water, 90 minutes by boat. Completely undervisited.
Malls: Indonesians love malls and Jakarta's are world-class. Grand Indonesia, Plaza Indonesia, Pacific Place — they're genuinely worth visiting for the food courts alone.
Practical notes
Getting around: Grab and Gojek are your friends. The MRT is clean and fast but limited in coverage. Traffic is notoriously bad — don't plan tight schedules.
Language: Most people in service roles speak enough English. Menus in tourist-adjacent areas are often bilingual. Learning a few Indonesian words (terima kasih = thank you, berapa = how much) goes a long way.
Safety: Jakarta is generally safe for travelers in normal tourist and expat areas. Standard big-city awareness applies.
Weather: Hot and humid year-round (~28–33°C). Wet season is October–April with heavy afternoon rains. Dry season May–September is more comfortable.
Why it's underrated
Honestly? I think it's the reputation. "Jakarta" conjures traffic and pollution. That's not wrong — it has both. But so does Bangkok, and everyone loves Bangkok.
The difference is that Bangkok has been discovered. Jakarta hasn't. That means cheaper prices, fewer tourists at every restaurant and attraction, and a more authentic experience of a genuinely interesting city.
If you want the Bangkok experience from 10 years ago — the food, the chaos, the value — go to Jakarta.
Visa and entry
Most nationalities can visit Indonesia visa-free or get a Visa on Arrival. Check our Indonesia entry requirements guide for the full breakdown.
Written by Avi
Full-time traveler and travel hacker who has explored 50+ countries. Real experience, not theory — every guide comes from time actually spent in the place.
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