# Expat life in jakata.



## tracyc11 (Sep 30, 2011)

Old morning everyone. I am looking to find out more information about expat living in jakata. Here are a few of the things I would like to find out about;
What kind of things are there to do at weekends?
How far is the nearest beach resort?
What is public transport like?
What is the cost of taxis, and are they safe?
What is the night life and social scene like?
What is the cost of living like?
How 'western' is the city?
Do you feel any frustrations or restrictions living in jakata?
Places that are easy and cheap to travel to from jakata?
How do you find the weather throughout the year?

Any information would be greatly received.


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## Shining (Mar 1, 2014)

Hallo,

Jakarta has heterogen society. So, there is no certain term be major icon. It's kind of the society is maderate people. But, it's better to be aware to the crime. I am not saying that Jakarta is dangerous city with high crime, but as so many new comer is getting hard to arrange them to obey traffic rule, and control the crime. I must say Surabaya is better in this. 

The cost of living in Jakarta is the highest in Indonesia, but it's similar to some city in Malaysia and still cheaper than Germany and Canada.

It's tropical climate about 19 to 33 celsious degrees, has rainy and dry season. Now is rainy season till about April, then we go to dry season. the common visited beach in Jakarta is Ancol Beach.

That's all I can tell you, I have to go. See you


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## jason.mantle1 (Jun 4, 2013)

Hello.. I've been an expat in Jakarta for quite some time now so here are my answers to your questions:

_What kind of things are there to do at weekends?_
There are tons of things you can do in Jakarta on the weekends: luxury shopping, cheap shopping, family outing to recreational parks, clubbing, traveling to other Indonesian cities (there are much more to Indonesia other than Bali), and so on. For some inspiration you can check Fun Things to Do in Jakarta - Asia Expats, Expatriate Management and Relocation Services

_How far is the nearest beach resort?_
There is a beach resort in North Jakarta called Ancol but the beach is far from nice. For nice pristine beaches where you can also snorkel and dive, you can go to Thousand Islands which is also part of Jakarta. It's about 30-60 mins boat ride from North Jakarta.

_What is public transport like?_
Public transport is highly uncomfortable and not very reliable. Most buses are non-airconditioned and the airconditioned ones are still hot. Trains are unimaginably packed. The most comfortable and safest public transport so far is the Transjakarta Busway, but some 'corridors' or lines are still unreliable and the queuing system is almost inhumane (yes, Indonesians love to push to get into the packed bus). Just like in other big cities, all public transports are highly packed during rush hour, but you'll get new definition of packed in Jakarta. 
It's better to take taxis or just walk if possible.

_What is the cost of taxis, and are they safe?_
Taxi is quite cheap. A 30 minutes ride normally cost Rp 30,000-40,000 (USD 3-4). They are quite safe if you take the ones from a reputable taxi company called BlueBird.

_What is the night life and social scene like?_
Night life is very vibrant, but it is advisable for expats to avoid the seedy areas in North Jakarta. 

_What is the cost of living like?_
Cost of living is cheap compared to its neighboring countries like Singapore and Malaysia. As an expat, you can survive and live comfortable with approximately Rp 10,000,000 (USD 1,000) a month, and many locals can survive with as much as Rp 3,000,000 (USD 300) a month.

_How 'western' is the city?_
Depends on the areas. Some areas (esp in the CBD) are quite Westernized, and the shopping malls here are very modern and beautiful. But most parts of the city are dirty and messy (you don't have to travel to the dirty and messy parts, though.  ).

_Do you feel any frustrations or restrictions living in jakata?_
Traffic is the ultimate source of frustrations for anyone living in Jakarta. Sometimes it can take up to 1-1,5 hours to travel 4 km distance, and sometimes the traffic is even worse than usual esp during rainy days.

_Places that are easy and cheap to travel to from jakata?_
If you're keen to explore Indonesia, flights to Yogyakarta and Bali are relatively cheap. If you want to visit other neighboring countries, flights to Singapore and Malaysia are extremely cheap.

_How do you find the weather throughout the year?_
It's very humid throughout the year. You can expect more rainfalls in December - March (but beware of the flood and worse traffic jam!) but the weather is generally very unpredictable.


Hope this helps! 
You can also find more information about Jakarta and other Asian cities at Expat Jobs | Tips and Guide for Living in Asia. It's a non-profit expat organization and you can ask them anything.


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