The cost of travel in Indonesia. It’s a question that is asked all too often, but amazingly hardly anyone has a good answer. Well I do. I do know how much it costs to travel through Indonesia because I’ve been living here for a while, I’ve travelled here a lot and I’ve been doing research for a guide book. So… Here it goes!
Accommodation Costs
As in any country, there are different styles of accommodation in Indonesia ranging from very basic rooms with cold water bucket wash bathrooms with squat toilet to rooms with every feature you can imagine. You will only find basic accommodation in many towns, especially if you step slightly off the tourist trail so costs do vary. Be prepared for rough conditions! This is one of your biggest costs in Indonesia.
Budget – 80,000 rupiah
For 80,000 rupiah you can expect a room with a foam mattress, fan, squat toilet and cold water tap to fill a bucket to wash yourself. Sometimes you get lucky at this price and get a spring mattress or hot water, but never AC. Usually the room is of questionable cleanliness. Most will move up slightly to 100,000 rupiah per night to get a better place and ensure a private bathroom.
Flashpacker – 250,000 rupiah
For this price, rooms usually get better, but in some cities in Indonesia you simply get an old run down hotel with dirty hot water bathroom and AC. In Bali you should expect a place with AC, hot shower, Western toilet, spring bed and for it to be very clean!
Mid-range – 400,000 rupiah
At around the 400,000 to 500,000 rupiah mark you start to get very very good hotels. Definitely with AC and hot water as well as it being very clean.
Luxury – 700,000 rupiah
The of cost in Indonesia for luxury starts low and ends high — Think Four Seasons, Hilton and all the big names — they’re all in Indonesia.
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Food Costs in Indonesia
Indonesian food is fantastic! You can eat at a warung for less than 10,000 rupiah every night easily. You can eat fast food like McDonald’s in every city. Every city has great cafes. You will be eating local food every night whether you like it or not in some destinations as there is no other alternative. This will not add a lot to your cost of travel in Indonesia.
Local food – 10,000 rupiah
For 10,000 you can expect a lot of rice, a bit of meat and a bit of egg and maybe a free glass of tea. If you want a lot of meat, the price rises fast.
Fast food – 35,000 rupiah
Fast food in Indonesia is cheap as well compared to the West. KFC is the most popular choice in Indonesia. Bear in mind that Indonesians don’t eat as much as Westerners so you will often see promos for less than 10,000 rupiah at KFC. Well, the real cost for Westerners is going to be a lot more because Westerners eat a lot more.
Cafe – 50,000 rupiah
Cafes often serve Indonesian food in pleasant surrounds and also do great juices. Quite often you’ll also find free WiFi. In Bali cafes are everywhere. In cities in Indonesia, you have to search for them, but they are always there. But the cost in Indonesia for this kind of place is much higher than elsewhere.
Transport Costs in Indonesia
Motorbikes, cars, trains, becaks, horses — Indonesia has it all. Cost in Indonesia?
Train – 100,000 rupiah – standard fare for an 8 hour journey in economy class
Bus – 10,000 rupiah per hour of travel
Motorbike hire – 50,000 rupiah per day
Car hire – 80,000 rupiah per day for an old Suzuki Jimny, but maybe difficult to find outside of Bali.
Activities
The great thing about travel in Indonesia is that many natural wonders are free such as the beach. But others such as temples and national parks charge a small fee around 5,000 rupiah. At some attractions such as Borobodur, there is discriminatory pricing in effect and foreigners are required to pay about 10x the local price.
So, with all that said and done, here is a breakdown of approximate costs for a single person travelling through Indonesia:
Accommodation – 100,000 rupiah
Food – 50,000 rupiah (includes occasional juice etc)
Transport – 30,000 rupiah (based on travelling every second day)
Activities – 20,000 rupiah (includes things like Borobodur which are expensive)
Total – 200,000 rupiah per day (US$21.76, AU$20.91, €16.43, £13.41)
If you share rooms with people, of course the costs come down. Some people might be able to travel cheaper than this, but this budget is already at the lowest end of the scale. Most people will add a little bit extra for a few beers, the occasional better hotel, occasional taxi, occasional cafe meal and occasional motorbike ride. In that case the cost rises to 300,000 rupiah for a single person, but 300,000 is an easy figure to stick to. I do it quite often and I travel quickly!
So there you have it. The cost of travel in Indonesia. Happy to help with any budget planning for Indonesia!
