Thinking of moving family to Surabaya

Hello, I have just moved to Surabaya myself and am finding it a lovely place to live.

There are a good number of ex pat families here and it seems to suit the family lifestyle.

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved with others in a variety of different get togethers and clubs.

Safety is an issue that hasn't even crossed my mind yet as it has not been a concern or even near to being an issue, everyone is friendly and more than happy to help. That being said, basic precautions still should be taken using common sense.

Transport is usually via taxis although some ex pats employ their own drivers which is very affordable, as are maids and nannys. I have yet to employ anybody myself as I'm struggling to rid the stigma attached to it from back home in England, but before long I too will have a maid, as it provides local employment.

The pace of life is great and you will get out of it what you put in. It's true there arent loads of ex pats here, but of the ones that are they are a friendly bunch who have been onlytoo willing to help me settle in.

Good luck with your decision.

lifestyle - Most expats earn (No, get) massive salaries considering local standards. That means a very nice lifestyle unless you go wild and blow all your cash.

safety - In general, no worries. All the usual rules apply but there are no special dangers for expats in Indonesia save the special price you'll get ripped off for until you get used to things.
Wander into Alphamart and a local fixed price supermarket to get an idea of the real price of things.

medical - Lots of top quality hospitals in Indonesia (if you can pay or have insurance)

transport - Dangerous at best. Local bus services are terrible and most of the buses would have been scrapped years ago in a western country. Driving here is a skill that requires a lobotomy.
If there are any rules of the road, no one knows or cares.
If you want a car, hire one that comes with a driver.
Other than that, Blue bird taxis are safe and the vast majority of their drivers are good.
There are many other companies but it's harder to suggest them for a variety of reasons.

etc for a family of four -  Schools are expensive by local standards and you'll be wanting a top school. Expect a minimum of Rp 1 million/month for a good school and upwards from there for fully English language place.

Most expat salaries start from 6 million/month for a language mill, nasty job to telephone number salaries for professionals of all types.
20 to 30 million is a common expectation for an expat.
Locals in that area will mostly earn up to 2 million so you can guess the way you'll be able to live.

I've never been to that city but if you want to see a bit of Java...

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 573#527221

Maids, I forgot maids.
Non English speaking and from a village. Rp500,000/month starting salary but will go up depending on experience and how much you like her.
English speaking and experienced, more.

Best way to find a maid - Ask about with people at work.
ALWAYS photocopy their ID card.

Employment law for domestic staff - None that anyone cares about.

Legal.
You'll need a work permit and visa. That should be taken care of by your company.
Work permit US$1,200
Visa Rp 700,000 plus about Rp80,000 for photos and fingerprints.
You wife will need a visa at the same cost but will not be allowed to work unless she get the same permit.
I'm unsure about the kids but I suspect the visa will cost about the same.
This should be taken care of by your employer.

"Wow, thanks for all the help"  I am so pleased I found this site.  thanks

No doubt will have more questions as time goes on.