Job offer & cost of living

Use Numbeo to help understand costs. Kota Kasablanca is a mall and apartment buildings so if you are working there property would be easy to find.
Rent is up front but it can be 1 month or 3 or 12 depending on who and what you know. Your potential employer surely can help settle and you can look after you are here as it would be easier.
Jakarta is 24 hours and shops and restaurants and coffee shops are always open somewhere.
Traffic is bad in that area due to the LRT being built, the mall and the location as in its close to the city. Outside of their, Tebet is cheaper but Kuninghan isn't.

Thanks Luke. Will check out numbeo. Yes I will be given accommodation on arrival for around 2 weeks I believe so I will have the opportunity to look while in Jakarta. Is it possible to look for cheaper options for accommodation elsewhere and commute or would you not recommend this in Jakarta? Also, the job is an English (ESL) teaching position to adults. Would you say this is a fair salary for this type of position in Jakarta?

I would say that's a good number to start with even if you have to find your own accommodation. Where you live is up to you but you can find images of the area you will work in on Google maps or searching the internet or Instagram.

I don't recommend commuting too far as it's hard work and depends on what you want to spend. Motorbike taxis are cheap and always available. Again your new employer can help you with all this and if they haven't provided you with basic information then you should ask them too. If they are investing in your legal documents then they help you out with more information. I would also ask them to put you in contact with other expats working in the organisation to help you network and have contacts before you arrive if they haven't done this so far.

Will take everything you said into consideration. Really appreciate your help. Thanks!

Luke's posts are pretty accurate, but they miss one thing. A lot of locals in Jakarta live reasonably (not well) on 5 to 7 million/month, and a lot of language mill expats on 11 or so.
21 will allow a fair lifestyle if you aren't into pubs, clubs, booze, and gold diggers.
If you like the above every night, you'll find your wallet empty well before the next payday.
Shop around for housing - You'd be surprised what you can find for a lot less money that these expensive expat flats, but you might have to live "local" and give up on the fancy stuff and communal swimming pool.
That two weeks of free housing will prove useful so use the time wisely. Get out on foot and hunt for "Rumah disewa" or "Rumah dikontrakan" signs in windows. Apart from exploring the area, you're likely to find a better deal. Explore the same two strings on google with the desired area in order to get an idea of price range. Also ask around for a kos. These are usually one room + toilet mini flats, some grotty with a squat bog, others quite posh. I've found simple ones at Rp500,000/month in Jakarta, better ones with security and rubbish collection at something over a million.
My needs are someone 'local' in nature so I could do that happily, but it's an individual thing that I'm pretty sure a lot of people couldn't, or don't want to, do.

lukereg wrote:

I don't recommend commuting too far as it's hard work and depends on what you want to spend. Motorbike taxis are cheap and always available..

Take special note of this - You'll find out how right it is when you get here.

Farhan19 wrote:

Would you say this is a fair salary for this type of position in Jakarta?

Yes, not bad. Your first job is to assess their general level of English, and that's likely to be hard work as most Indonesians have a very limited command of the language and, as you know, teaching adults is far harder work than teaching primary.
You may have to start with vocab and basic sentence structure depending on the groups you're dealing with.

Thanks for the really informative reply Fred. I appreciate it. I don't really go out much at night but I will keep that in mind. With regards to accommodation, I would say I'd like to have a bit of both - a local feel, but also decent facilities such as a gym. I will have a look around though as you mentioned and get a feel for different places. I was also wondering if you could recommend me some property websites? I've only really found one decent site so far. Thanks!

For property sites, just google the two strings I suggested, but add the name of the area you're interested in.
Personally, I NEVER use property agents as I have always found far better deals by avoiding them. I've contacted people directly after seeing the house on sites and got the place for a lot less money.
The best deals are often not on sites so you have to go hunting on foot.

Thanks Fred. I'll use the websites to narrow down areas I like but will take your advice and look for places on foot

Hey Farhan, locals here. IDR 21 Mil / month is a lot here, not enough to live like kings, but definitely good enough to enjoy living in Indonesia to the fullest. If you want to save money, I'll give you a rough estimate. I am currently living with lifestyle of eating at the mall nearly everyday and goes out with my coworker/friends nearly every night(not drinking though, alcohol is quite expensive in Indonesia's bar), total cost per month for me is 5 - 6 Mil. So just add that to your rent and tax and that's clean.

For renting, I suggest you just rent anything that's cheap for 1 month (airbnb or RedDoorz hotel). Then, after you come to Indonesia, just ask for your coworker to accompany you to search for "kos - kosan", apartment (Casa Grande is real nice), or even houses to rent. With the help of an Indonesian, it will be much easier to communicate and you'll find a much better place with cheaper price. Just remember to offer to treat your coworker before you ask for help.

For living, app likes OVO, Gopay, Dana, etc really save your food cost and let you eat good food at the same time. Anyway, best of luck!

Hi Nataneal,

Thanks for your response. It's very helpful. Yeah I think I'm definitely going to need a local's help with accommodation. I do luckily have accommodation on arrival provided by the company for 2 weeks so hopefully this is enough time to find my own space.

Also my location is now likely to be Central Park. I would preferably like to have accommodation close by. What prices would I be looking at? Preferably something that is within walking distance but I don't mind commuting either. I don't intend to drive in Jakarta if I can avoid it

For Central Park, there are several option. Apartments, "Kos", house (unlikely if you do not intend to share).

Starting from the most luxurious one, apartment, central park offer Central Park Residence, Royal Mediterania Garden Residence, Taman Anggrek Residence, and Mediterania Garden Residence 2 (from most expensive to least expensive). Rent can vary from IDR 5.5 Mil to IDR 10 Mil / Month. All of them have basic apartment stuff like gym and running track, but Central Park Residence is just steps above the rest. Of and all of them is within walking distance.

Cheaper option is to go for "Kos" which would cost around IDR 1.2 Mil to IDR 2 Mil / month. This can be found within area of "Universitas Trisakti". It literally just have bed, desk, and bathroom. It might have communal kitchen, but definitely not gym and pool. You're gonna need to go to other place for membership.

Renting house is another alternative, might be cheaper than "Kos" if you can find 3-4 people to live with you. But if you want privacy, renting house for yourself is gonna cost your the same price for an apartment, without the facilities.

And if you're really cheap and want to save all of your money, there's a type of "Kos" without airconditioning, and just 1 single bed to sleep. Bathroom are communal and there's no hot water. This kind of housing is gonna cost you IDR 350 Thousand to IDR 500 Thousand per month.

Another tips from me is to drive a motorcycle. You will not believe how cheap it is here to commute with motorcycle.

Thank you again. I really appreciate your help. With regards to Motorcycle, I just have a normal UK driving license. Would this be enough to be able to drive a motorcycle in Indonesia. It is something I've considered but not completely sure on it

No probs! If I'm not mistaken, International License holds value in Indonesia, so you may use them as valid proof (again, I'm not entirely sure about this). If you can't use that, you can make an Indonesian License even as a foreigner. I would recommend to wait several months and find an Indonesian friends first. Because in Indonesia, License test is really hard, near impossible. Me and several of my friend tried to get license and failed 2 times, none of us ever really pass.

So what can you do? You can take the test, give a little "Incentive" to the "right people" and they will take care the rest for you (If you know what I mean *wink*). Though this is almost impossible to do without the capability to speak Bahasa, that's why you need a close Indonesian friend.

A little mistake on my part, If you have normal driving license, as in normal UK license, you will not be able to use it in Indonesia. You need to make a new license here, be it an Indonesian License or an International License.

Farhan19 wrote:

Thank you again. I really appreciate your help. With regards to Motorcycle, I just have a normal UK driving license. Would this be enough to be able to drive a motorcycle in Indonesia. It is something I've considered but not completely sure on it

Not valid.
You have to take a local test at a main police station to get a SIM C motorcycle licence.
Unlike the UK where most people are reasonable on the roads, traffic in this place is more like leafs in a whirlwind. Lane discipline is unheard of, but idiocy on the roads is pretty average.
Parking is also a pain, assuming you survive the journey.

A kos is a little flat, usually one small room and a bathroom, sometimes 2 small rooms and a bathroom.
Expat style flats tend to be offered at idiotic prices, commonly in USD, but that's illegal here and always aimed at new expats without a clue.
If I was alone here, I'd go for one of the better kos, probably at a million or so per month.
Bed - Why when a mattress on the floor works perfectly well?

You'll get the hang of it.

Natanaelk wrote:

So what can you do? You can take the test, give a little "Incentive" to the "right people" and they will take care the rest for you (If you know what I mean *wink*). Though this is almost impossible to do without the capability to speak Bahasa, that's why you need a close Indonesian friend.

NO BRIBES.
They used to be the standard and only way to get a licence but the anti corruption people came down hard and most of it was killed off.
Offering a bribe now could well see you kicked out, and maybe your KITAS revoked for trying to bribe a copper.
Don't even think about it.

Thank you both for your help. I don't think I have the patience to get a specific license for motorbikes and bribing is not an option for me at all. I prefer to do things legally even if it takes longer. I think I'll consider cycling. I don't know how safe it is to cycle in Jakarta but I think this works out as the best option for myself, as long as I find accommodation close to work. With regards to excursions to cities like Bandung, I'm assuming there are trains that go there from Jakarta and I wouldn't need to drive or anything?

Almost killed? I'm sorry to say this, but (In Jakarta, at least) it's still common practice. I literally tried to get SIM C last month and failed, and I have been riding for 3 years, so I get one done. There's even a lot of people "lending" their service in Kaskus. I honestly don't know about the risk for foreigner, but a 8-5 Indonesian employee will definitely not take the test the normal way.

I'm not trying to justify bribery, but it's just so hard to get license even for Indonesian. Although granted, everytime you take the test, the chance you pass increase significantly. So you'll be able to pass the test eventually if you're really bad. You just need to take a day off several times.

Yes, there are trains going from Jakarta to Bandung costing about IDR 170 thousand-ish for economy type. There are also shuttle bus for cheaper option. You can actually commute to anywhere anytime cheaply with apps like Go-jek and Grab, you just need a little Bahasa skill to communicate with the driver.

I wouldn't recommend cycling in Jakarta, especially in rush hour. I once cycled from home to work and arrive drenched in sweat all over my shirt, never done it again ever since. It's outstandingly hot and polluted. Unless your office have shower, just go with Go-jek / Grab

Farhan19 wrote:

I think I'll consider cycling. I don't know how safe it is to cycle in Jakarta but I think this works out as the best option for myself, as long as I find accommodation close to work. With regards to excursions to cities like Bandung, I'm assuming there are trains that go there from Jakarta and I wouldn't need to drive or anything?

Cycling - The ideal method of hiding a suicide so your insurance will pay up.  It may take a few runs in Jakarta's traffic before you get killed, but not more than three or four. The downside is you might only get mangled up and have to eat through a tube for the rest of your life.

Bandung is very nice for the odd weekend but not using road transport, especially with the toll road works at this time.
You may remember Chris Rea's Road to hell, that road is hell, not the road to it.
Last time I was idiotic enough to try Bandung to Jakarta by road, a two hour trip, it took seven hours. Even I'm not mad enough to try that again.

Let's get this licence stuff cleared up (Mostly)
My first licence (SIM C) was done properly and legally - I took the test and paid the correct amount), but that was because I knew the local cops pretty well and they were being nice to me.
At that time, a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, it was standard practice to be forced to pay Rp400,000 for the licence or fail the test.
My first car licence was similar, the cop involved being direct - I either paid Rp500,000 or I failed. Not a lot of choice there if I wanted to drive. The fact I have an advanced driver test under my belt meant not a sausage - I could have never seen the inside of a car and I would have been given the licence.
The last time I went to renew my bike licence the story was very different - The KPK (Corruption killers) had been to call and the job was way better. No bribes asked for, and no one dared to offer - That was immediately after the KPK had said a sweet hello so everyone was quaking in their boots.
The last time I did my car licence, the situation was a factory farming job with everyone queuing for the form, then the medical, then paid through a bank (They'd set up a branch in the station just for that), then you got your renewal or took the test.
No way was any bribery possible at that time.
Expats now have a different path to take as they must go to a main area station to sort out licences and tests, and I understand there's an English language version just for you foreign dudes (I'm a bona fide Indonesian chap, just with a Yorkshire accent - ey up, mucka)

Anyway - Point is - You can get a licence without too much messing about, but Indonesian roads are exceptionally dangerous so you need total cool, your wits well and truly at 120%, and eyes where the sun don't shine - but only if you enjoy life.

Okay Fred, a little insight to you and Farhan. I got the gist of your experience of making a license in Indonesia. But if you really want to know what's behind it, there's a lot of dirt. In Jakarta, some or even most of those people that queue with you(if they are locals) already paid certain amount of incentive to some right guy before even going there. They just queue and take the test as formalities, this is why the risk for locals are so low, no "direct" exchange. A little portion of them, that knows a better person, doesn't even need to go to samsat at all. They just sit in their home, and their license will be delivered to their home. I've personally never tried the latter, but it can cost you triple the cost of the first one.

So yes, there's no more "joki" going around the samsat offering their services, but that doesn't mean the practices are not common. It's certainly much much easier to get license through a normal way nowadays though.

Again, thanks for your help both of you. I think I'll avoid driving in Jakarta then! Depending on how long I end up staying I may eventually try and (legally) get a motorbike license but hopefully I can find accommodation close to Central Park. I heard Jakarta isn't exactly a walker friendly city, but is it still safe to walk? By safe I mean there's actual pavements/sidewalks and I won't be in danger of ending up on one of those accident compilation videos!

Now you're into a bit of sick humour - Ever been a biker?

I was watching "I bought a vampire motorcycle" so took a moment to answer, but I'm all revved up with nowhere to go now, so I'll take a pop at posting.

Walking in much of Jakarta is fine now, but you need to watch where your feet are going as little details like person access point tops are missing (That's PC speak for manhole covers).

Come to thing of it, the pavements are missing in some places, or they're flooded out, or they're full of street stalls so you have to walk on the road anyway. However, all the posh bits have actual pavements you can walk on so those bits are fine.

When I lived in that area I used to walk miles at a time taking photographs of all sorts, but I live away from the city now so I only go for work once every couple of months, or pass through on my way to the airport.

You gaff needs to be either near your work or on a direct public transport route, Transjakarta, commuter trains, or the new transit system. All are cheap and reasonable but you have to play sardines at peak times.

Haha, that's good to hear then. Walking and taking photos is a hobby of mine too so I'm glad Jakarta is improving in that sense

I haven't much looked at this thread for a while since the photo sharing site said they didn't want people to share photos and more, and threatened to delete them.
However, I think most are still on there but the threat of deletion by the grabbing sods made the thread pretty pointless as it could end up as full of holes and the poorer Jakarta pavements.

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