US$ 1200 salary

That salary is a tad on the low side by expat standards but, unless you like the beer and clubbing, easy.
Indian restaurants are a little expensive.
Most poor Indonesians live on a veggie diet so that's no problem.
Added. There's a thing called tempe, you'll love it and it's got all the proteins but no animal products - Bonus.
Street fried rice (No meat) should cost you about Rp8,000 so you can get a lot of portions on your salary.

@mas fred... haha, i think this guy is the guy asked last time we have a discussion... )

@rdeshpa... that's definitely not a good salary for an expat... I have some indian friends here also from Hyderabad, but their salary starting from 2500 USD after tax... Indian food here is very expensive comparing to the Indonesian standard rate (around 10-20usd / meal / person for Indian food)... suggesting you should not take that offer...

I live on about Rp6Juta/bulan and consider I really waste money.
2 million goes into my wife's account for whatever she wants to use it for, I get 2 for my 'toys' but rarely use all.
Anything else goes into the bank or just stays in my UK accounts.
That save varies depending on what cash rolls in that month but it means a dry month isn't a problem.

agreed with your points, but tell me one thing if the  accommodation and transportation if it is provided by the employer then how is this salary.

1) I don't drink
2) I am a veggi
3) Are there any supermarkets which sell Indian groceries
4) water and electricity charges  will be taken care by the employer.

With this  salary of $1200 pm.

How  much money can I save.

rdeshpa wrote:

agreed with your points, but tell me one thing if the  accommodation and transportation if it is provided by the employer then how is this salary.

1) I don't drink
2) I am a veggi
3) Are there any supermarkets which sell Indian groceries
4) water and electricity charges  will be taken care by the employer.

With this  salary of $1200 pm.

How  much money can I save.

Not drinking reduces your spend by a lot.
Veggie is cheap, very very cheap.
Some Indian stuff is available but what I've tried wasn't even close to as good as Indian food in the UK.
If you do find an Indian supermarket, please tell me on this thread and by PM.

You should be able to live on $400/month if you don't run a car.

I found this on the web but I don't have much more information regarding Indian groceries

http://www.indianfoodsguide.com/indian- … karta.html

and it is backed up by

http://www.expat.or.id/info/supermarkets.html

However, Sunter is never fun to get too

rdeshpa wrote:

agreed with your points, but tell me one thing if the  accommodation and transportation if it is provided by the employer then how is this salary.

1) I don't drink
2) I am a veggi
3) Are there any supermarkets which sell Indian groceries
4) water and electricity charges  will be taken care by the employer.

With this  salary of $1200 pm.

How  much money can I save.

For your situation you're good to go. However, you are underpaid for an expat here in Indonesia. I strongly suggest you to get a well paid Job in India.

rdeshpa wrote:

agreed with your points, but tell me one thing if the  accommodation and transportation if it is provided by the employer then how is this salary.

1) I don't drink
2) I am a veggi
3) Are there any supermarkets which sell Indian groceries
4) water and electricity charges  will be taken care by the employer.

With this  salary of $1200 pm.

How  much money can I save.

Hi,

Honestly this salary is very low. But if it is  only for different exposure that you looking out job  here and you r young, I would say take it.
You will not be able to save much money, chicken is much cheaper than fruits here.
There are few groceries stores Like Mustafa/Parivar/Maharani in Sunter area, which also do home deliveries for all Indian groceries, the prices are at least 50% higher compared back home.

Give and take50...I would say USD 600 will be good for food and weekends with out drinks

Wish u luck.

I'll let you into a little trick.

The way not to waste money like a blind expat is to open your eyes.
Many expats pay stupid money for everything because they hang around in expat places and get ripped off.
They then go on to moan about how expensive things are.

Now, eyes and brain opening time.

Skip expat places, most I've been to are crap and full of daft expats who waste piles of cash and moan on forums how expensive everything is.
Go to local places and buy as locals buy.
Martabak, many veggie options available, is around Rp 15,000.
Nasi goreng biasa (no meat) can be as little as Rp8,000 but Rp10,000 is more common.

As for US$600 for weekend food, only if you go daft.
Try: (Assuming $1 = Rp10,000 for easy maths)
Breakfast - Bubur $0.80
Lunch - Martabak $1.50
Tea - Nasi goreng biasa $1.00

A bottle of water - $0.20
Cup of tea - $0.80 (If you pay a bit high)

Where the heck does $600 go?
Heck, I can go to Dominos and buy a 6 inch pizza with a coke for $2.50.

PS - When you find the right street food, it's lovely.

mas fred wrote:

I'll let you into a little trick.

The way not to waste money like a blind expat is to open your eyes.
Many expats pay stupid money for everything because they hang around in expat places and get ripped off.
They then go on to moan about how expensive things are.

Now, eyes and brain opening time.

Skip expat places, most I've been to are crap and full of daft expats who waste piles of cash and moan on forums how expensive everything is.
Go to local places and buy as locals buy.
Martabak, many veggie options available, is around Rp 15,000.
Nasi goreng biasa (no meat) can be as little as Rp8,000 but Rp10,000 is more common.

As for US$600 for weekend food, only if you go daft.
Try: (Assuming $1 = Rp10,000 for easy maths)
Breakfast - Bubur $0.80
Lunch - Martabak $1.50
Tea - Nasi goreng biasa $1.00

A bottle of water - $0.20
Cup of tea - $0.80 (If you pay a bit high)

Where the heck does $600 go?
Heck, I can go to Dominos and buy a 6 inch pizza with a coke for $2.50.

PS - When you find the right street food, it's lovely.

I wish every one can have food that you recommended on daily basis.It is just difference of opinion. If any one can adapt to local way of living...yes 3-4 mill is good enough ...but  honestly how many expats can do so ?I appreciate your opinion and do not deny anything u mentioned but I still  stick to my earlier advice.

Mas Fred has a point with spending and getting good value for money. You don't need to spend huge sums of money just to have fun or eat well here, it is all about choice and where to go.
The city itself has some great spots for dining that not too expensive and offer good food, its about knowing where to look. Street food and local restaurants can offer some amazing choices and quality and again like Mas Fred, I am happy to eat there instead of eating in some over priced restaurant offering reheated precooked food.

I know a lot of expats here who choose to eat locally and avoid spending money in 'western' style restaurants, take buses and ojeks and save 000's of dollars a year and are happy and content doing so.

It depends on choice.

As for spending $600 in a weekend, I too am baffled at that one.

I spend less than $600 to keep a family of three for a month.
Don't hold back, that's just what we spend.
I, like the OP, don't waste money on alcohol.

it was 600 including weekends( whole month) not for weekend

My spend today.

Breakfast was chicken sandwiches.
Rp45,000 for the chicken and Rp9,000 for the bread.
Lots of both left for future meals so they probably came to 7 or 8,000.

Lunch. Chicken soup with pasta and, yep, a bit more of that chicken.
A powder soup costs about Rp6,000 but each packet makes two portions so that'll have come to about Rp6 or 7,000.

Tea was wild spending.
My wife had nasi uduk with chicken at Rp12,000 and I had fried rice at Rp10,000.

We drank iced water from the fridge with all three meals.
That costs Rp8,ooo for a large drum so probably about Rp500 all day in drinks.

All the meals were wonderful and decided upon by taste and what we fancied, not a cash consideration.

@Mas Fred, I laugh every time you give a comment, u are my favorite member here...

@rdeshpa , you can live normal here with that salary but seriously is too low for expat .the Indian groceries here is expensive there is one in kemang below Kinara indian restaurant very small and expensive.

good luck
msandarina

$1,200 looks a salary on lower side. But it all depends on your position etc. If you don't drink, vegetarian, house & electricity paid with transport provided, you can save about $200 per month.

All the best on your new assignment.

Rdeshpa, as i said long time ago, that is very low. Most of the Indian expat here (with 2-3 years experience) can get at least 2500 USD / month with all the facilities provided by the employer (taxi, house, etc.)... Perhaps you should consider that company is not a good company to work for...

@mas fred, i'm surprised what you do have a job here and doing a daily work... )

I have a few Pounds a month from my interests in the UK but I don't believe in wasting money.
That and I love Indonesian food.
I went wild yesterday and ordered Pizza hut. My wonderful jumbo pizza, pasta and wings were the most expensive thing I'd bought all week.
I'll have the pasta for lunch but bubur for breakfast. The second best bubur in Indonesia is about 2km away. I would go for the best but Puwokerto is so far.

@ MAs Fred,
You even more indonesian then indonesian it self...top up my hat for you. you should try bubur ayam bogor in the morning. 45min away huh'