Jakarta (Indonesia) relocation guide 2026

01The country in 30 seconds

Jakarta is a huge, hot, busy business city, not a beach town. It has the best hospitals, some of the fastest home internet and the biggest airport in Indonesia. It also has dirty air, heavy traffic and floods in the rainy season.

Should a nomad move here? It depends. Jakarta works as a work base for a few months or longer if you need good medical care, reliable fiber, business contacts or flights to Tokyo and the Gulf. It doesn't replace Bali if you want a beach, nature and a ready-made community. Nomad List shows about 1,200 remote workers in Jakarta at once, against 8,400 in Ubud and 19,800 in Canggu, and the average trip here is 6 days, against 29 in Canggu.

Don't expect big savings either. A modern furnished one-bedroom costs about the same as in Canggu or Ubud, and food and air conditioning can cost more. Jakarta is cheaper only if you live lean: a room in a kos or coliving for $110–210 a month and public transport instead of a scooter.

The E33G visa is the same as in Bali, and you can apply for it online from anywhere. Facts checked as of October 2026. Visa rules and prices change fast, so check official sources before you book a flight.

02Who it's for

Jakarta fits you if work and infrastructure matter more to you than the beach.

• You want strong private hospitals nearby (Pondok Indah, Siloam, Mayapada)
• You need reliable fiber and are fine working from an apartment or a coworking space
• You fly a lot: direct flights to Tokyo, Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Istanbul, and about 250 flights a week to Bali
• You like big-city life: malls, every kind of food, business events
• You earn $5,000/month or more, which makes the E33G realistic

It's a poor fit if you want surf, nature, quiet streets or a Russian-speaking crowd. The Russian-language Telegram chats for Jakarta have about 1,000 people, and I found no Armenian community group and no Russian-speaking doctors. Expect an English-speaking expat scene.

03Entry & visa

Jakarta has no special entry rules, everything works like in Bali.

Visa on Arrival (VOA) gives you 30 days, extendable once for 30 more (60 days total). It costs Rp 500,000 and you get it at the border or online in advance. Both Russian and Armenian passports are on the VOA list. Tourism only, no work.

The old B211A visit visa is now called C1 (see the official visa list). You get 60 days on entry, extendable up to 180 days in total. It's still a tourist visa, so no work on it.

For legal remote work, apply for the E33G online before you fly (see the next section).

There is no visa-free entry for Russians. The Russian embassy said in September 2026 that it is preparing a visa-facilitation agreement and that visa-free talks can start only after it, so don't count on it soon.

Russian-issued bank cards usually can't pay the e-VOA fee online, so pay cash at the airport or use a card from another country.

04Residency & legalization

Jakarta uses the same E33G (Remote Worker Visa) as Bali. It's national and not tied to a city.

Requirements from the official immigration page:

• Income of at least $60,000 a year ($5,000/month) and a contract with a company registered outside Indonesia
• Bank statements for the last 3 months showing at least $2,000
• Passport valid for at least 6 months, a photo, a CV and your trip plan
• No sponsor needed
• Fee: Rp 7,000,000 in total (about $390), processing about 5 working days after payment. Agents charge more.

You apply online at evisa.imigrasi.go.id before you fly. The visa itself is valid for 90 days to enter, and the limited stay permit (ITAS, often called KITAS) for up to 1 year is issued automatically at the border. See the official page.

What happens after year one is where sources disagree. The regulation (Permenkumham 22/2023, Art. 112–113) allows extensions up to 6 years in total, and the official page says you can extend online. But approval is up to immigration and practice varies. MAM Corporate Solutions reports that in their experience it's extended once, for a second year, while some agents say you have to leave and apply again. Plan on 1 year and confirm with an agent.

Jakarta has five immigration offices (South, Central, West, East, North), and yours depends on where you live. Agents say that since 2024 you must give biometrics in person when you extend, and that you must register your address (SKTT) and a police report within about 14 days of getting the permit. I couldn't confirm that on official sites, so ask your agent.

Embassies in Jakarta: Russia is at Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. X-7 (Kuningan), and also has a consulate-general in Bali. Armenia is at Jl. Karang Asem Utara, Blok C4 No. 40 (Kuningan Timur) and offers passports, notary and consular registration. I found no Armenian office in Bali.

Local help. MAM Corporate Solutions is based in Jakarta (Kemayoran, North Jakarta). It's an accounting, tax and corporate-services firm that has worked since 2017, prepares E33G applications for individuals, does personal tax and NPWP, and works in English. What I could check: the office is real, CEO Asif Hayat Malik is listed as FCCA in ACCA's public register, and ratings are 5.0 on Google (81 reviews) and 3.8 on Trustpilot (8 reviews). I recommend them as a starting point. They don't publish prices, so get a quote in writing and compare with at least one other agent.

05Work & taxes

The E33G is a long-stay visa, not a work permit for an Indonesian employer. You keep working for your own company or clients abroad, the same as before. Working for local clients isn't allowed, and immigration has checked E33G holders for it.

Tax: Indonesia's rule PER-23/PJ/2025 (December 2025) lists an ITAS valid for more than 183 days as evidence that you intend to live in the country. My reading is that a one-year E33G probably makes you a tax resident from the start, however little you stay. That's my interpretation of the text, not an official statement from the tax office. Residents are taxed on worldwide income.

Russia and Armenia both have tax treaties with Indonesia. To use them you need a residency certificate from your home tax office. The 4-year exemption for foreign income applies only to a narrow group of experts, not automatically to E33G holders, whatever some agents say.

You can get a tax number (NPWP) online through Coretax with your passport and ITAS. With a year-long permit it makes sense to do it early.

06Banks, cards & money

Russian-issued Visa and Mastercard don't work in Indonesia, and Mir isn't accepted. A Russian UnionPay card sometimes works at ATMs and shops, but reports vary a lot, so treat it as a backup.

A card from another country is the normal solution. Russian-language guides say Visa or Mastercard issued in Armenia, Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan work like any foreign card, but I found no first-hand report for a specific Armenian bank, so test yours before you fly.

Cash still matters: warungs, markets and many small shops want rupiah. ATM limits per withdrawal are low (Mandiri about Rp 1.25M, BNI Rp 2M, BCA Rp 2.5M, CIMB Niaga up to Rp 3M) and fees for foreign cards range from Rp 20,000 to Rp 100,000 depending on the source. Always choose to be charged in rupiah, not in your own currency.

Wise doesn't help much: it's closed to people located in Russia, and once you register an Indonesian address it can't hold a balance or give you a card there (the rule since May 2024).

A local account becomes possible once you have the ITAS. Typically you need a passport, ITAS, proof of address, an Indonesian phone number and a starting deposit of Rp 500,000–1,000,000, and you apply in person. Some banks also ask for NPWP. Agent sources say Jenius can open an account online for ITAS holders. A local account also unlocks QRIS payments and e-wallets like GoPay, OVO and DANA.

Money from Russia: the Bank of Russia removed the monthly transfer limits on December 8, 2025, but SWIFT to Indonesia is unreliable (one 2026 guide reports about 60% success, 5–10 days and 2–4% fees). From Armenia I found no reliable data, so ask your bank. Crypto is legal in Indonesia as an investment but banned as a payment method.

07Renting a place

Rent is the biggest swing in your budget. These are asking prices for furnished apartments on monthly contracts (Jendela360 and Travelio, October 2026, at about Rp 17,900 per dollar):

• Kuningan: studio from about $300, one-bedroom $325–810
• Kemang: studio $450–560, one-bedroom $370–840
• Menteng: studio $320–415, one-bedroom from about $475
• Senopati/SCBD: studio from about $765, one-bedroom from about $1,400 in Senopati (large units)
• Kos (a room in a boarding house with AC, bathroom and Wi-Fi): most often $110–210
• Coliving (Rukita): from about $135 with Wi-Fi, water, laundry and cleaning. The cheap buildings fill up fast.

Many landlords want 12 months paid upfront. The yearly rate is cheaper per month: a monthly contract costs about 35–60% more per month, but the yearly rate means a lump sum of roughly $3,200–5,800. For the first weeks use Airbnb or a serviced apartment, and rent properly once you've seen the area.

Landlords often ask for a copy of your passport and ITAS, so renting is easier once your permit is issued. Sign a bilingual contract (English and Bahasa Indonesia), check that the person renting out really owns the place, and remember that foreigners can't own freehold property.

Pick a modern high-rise above the ground floor, close to an MRT, LRT or KRL station. Stay away from river banks and from the north coast (Penjaringan, Pluit, Ancol, Muara Baru), where the ground sinks and floods are worst.

08SIM card & internet

Home fiber: 100 Mbps costs Rp 233,000–279,000 a month (about $13–16) from Biznet, MyRepublic, XL Satu or IndiHome. Ookla's H1 2026 median fixed speed by district is 54–70 Mbps. Nomad List shows far less (11 Mbps), but it's crowdsourced, so test the Wi-Fi in your apartment and your cafe before you commit.

I couldn't confirm that a foreigner can sign a fiber contract with just a passport. Call IndiHome (188) or Biznet Home (1500933) first. With an ITAS it's easier. Until then, use a serviced apartment, a coworking space or mobile data.

Since July 1, 2026 every new SIM needs a face scan. Foreigners register in person at an operator outlet with a passport and ITAS (Telkomsel says there's no online registration), up to 3 numbers per operator. Telkomsel has the best coverage outside the city, and XLSmart was fastest in Opensignal's July 2026 test. Most people spend Rp 50,000–100,000 ($3–6) a month on data. A travel eSIM (10 GB for 30 days costs $14–22) is fine for the first days.

Phones brought from abroad need an IMEI registration with Customs to keep working on local networks. Tourists get a short grace period according to operators and blogs, but that isn't on the official page, and ITAS holders have to register. By my calculation a $1,200 phone costs about $155 in duty and VAT if you declare it at arrival (10% duty and VAT above a $500 allowance). Check the Bea Cukai calculator.

GoWork is the main coworking chain, with 21 locations (SCBD/Sudirman, Pacific Place, Plaza Indonesia, Senayan City, Kemang, Pondok Indah). A day pass starts at Rp 180,000 (about $10), a membership at Rp 1.13M (about $63) a month and a dedicated desk at Rp 1.44M (about $80), plus VAT. Hours are Mon–Fri 09:00–18:00, so check access if you work late. WeWork has 3 sites (SCBD, Mega Kuningan, Sudirman) from about Rp 3.1–3.7M ($174–205). Working from cafes is normal here, for example Anomali Coffee and Common Grounds.

Old blog lists still show coworking spaces that are gone, for example CoHive went bankrupt in 2023. Confirm with the space before you go. I found no recurring nomad meetup in Jakarta.

Power: rotating cuts of 1–3 hours hit Greater Jakarta on June 13, 2026, and a 2-hour cut hit South Jakarta on August 3. Keep a power bank and mobile data as a backup.

Time zone: Jakarta is UTC+7, one hour behind Bali. That's 4 hours ahead of Moscow and 3 hours ahead of Yerevan.

09Healthcare & insurance

Jakarta has the best private hospitals in Indonesia: the Pondok Indah group, Siloam (the biggest private network), RS Premier, Mayapada and Medistra (near Kuningan/Sudirman). Nomad List rates hospitals 'Good' here, against 'Poor' in Ubud.

A GP visit costs about Rp 150,000–500,000 ($8–28) and a specialist Rp 500,000–2,000,000 ($28–112). Private hospitals often ask for a deposit of Rp 10–20 million ($560–1,120) unless your insurer gives a payment guarantee, so pick a plan with direct billing.

BPJS, the public insurance, is built around formal employment, so plan on private international insurance. SafetyWing Essential is about $63 per 4 weeks for ages 18–39, and broker quotes for fuller plans start around €85 a month.

After floods there's a risk of dengue and leptospirosis, so don't wade through floodwater. I found no Russian-speaking doctors in Jakarta, so use English-speaking hospitals.

10Transport

You don't need a scooter here, and Jakarta traffic isn't the place to learn. Gojek and Grab cover the whole city: a 5–10 km ride costs about Rp 30,000–70,000 ($1.7–4), and a bike taxi about $1.

Public transport: one MRT line (Lebak Bulus–Bundaran HI, Rp 4,000–14,000), TransJakarta buses (Rp 3,500 flat, fares go up from January 1, 2027), KRL commuter trains and LRT. Expect $10–40 a month if you live near a station. The MRT extension to Kota isn't expected before 2028.

Traffic is heavy. TomTom's 2025 data shows 26 minutes per 10 km on average and about 39 minutes in the evening rush (around 15 km/h). Live near a station and avoid crossing the city between 17:00 and 20:00.

Weekend trips: the Whoosh high-speed train to Bandung takes 40–45 minutes (Rp 150,000–600,000), KRL goes to Bogor, boats go to the Thousand Islands, and Yogyakarta is 6–9 hours by train.

Flights: Soekarno-Hatta (CGK) has direct flights to Tokyo (Haneda and Narita, about 7 hours), Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Istanbul, and about 250 flights a week to Bali (around 2 hours, roughly $110 return). There are no direct flights to Jakarta from Moscow or Yerevan. The cheapest 1–2 stop itineraries from Moscow cost about $290–350 one way and take 16–34 hours (fares change daily). Aeroflot flies Moscow–Denpasar nonstop, and Shirak Avia announced Yerevan–Denpasar from November 1, 2026 with a stop in Dhaka. I couldn't confirm it has started.

11Safety & important laws

Jakarta is usually fine for everyday life, but it has bigger problems than Bali: air, floods, traffic and street protests.

Air: IQAir measured 34.1 µg/m³ of PM2.5 in 2025, about 6.8 times the WHO guideline. It's worst in the dry season (roughly May to October) and best in January–March. On October 7, 2026 the AQI was 109 in Jakarta and 50 in Denpasar. Get an air purifier, keep N95 masks and check the IQAir app before you exercise outside.

Floods: the official rainy season is October to March. BMKG expects the 2026–27 season to start in November–December and peak from December to February. In January 2026 floods hit 125 neighborhood units, most of them in South and West Jakarta. The city sinks about 3.5 cm a year on average, and much faster in the north. Pick a higher floor, away from rivers and the north coast.

Capital: Jakarta stays the capital. The Constitutional Court ruled on May 12, 2026 that it keeps that status until a presidential decree, and the move to Nusantara isn't expected before 2028. For a stay of 1–3 years it changes little.

Protests: there were riots in August 2025 (at least 10 dead nationwide) and again on August 27–28, 2026 near parliament. Foreigners weren't targeted, but trains, buses and airport access were disrupted. Stay away from protests and from the Senayan, Monas and Palace areas on protest dates.

Crime: bag-snatching, pickpocketing, ATM card fraud and short-changing at money changers. Use changers that show the Bank Indonesia logo, and use registered taxis or an app and check that the driver matches.

Nomad List rates LGBTQ+ safety in Jakarta as 'Bad', so be discreet. Carry a copy of your passport and ITAS, since immigration spot checks happen.

Alcohol is sold in bars, restaurants and supermarkets but not in minimarkets, and one beer costs about as much as a cheap meal ($2.5–4). Methanol poisoning from bootleg drinks is real, so avoid unbranded cocktails. During Ramadan South Jakarta closed bars and clubs outside 4–5 star hotels in 2026, so expect something similar around February 8 to March 8, 2027.

12How much money you need per month

Total: Total: about $800–2,400/month, typically $1,200–1,700 for one person, not counting visa costs or flights

13Step-by-step moving plan

1. Check that you can prove $5,000/month of foreign income and have a contract with a company outside Indonesia
2. Gather documents for the E33G: passport (6+ months valid), a 3-month bank statement showing $2,000+, the contract, a CV and a photo
3. Apply online at evisa.imigrasi.go.id (or through an agent) before you fly. It takes about 5 working days
4. Bring a card from a non-sanctioned bank, ideally a Visa or Mastercard from a third country, plus some rupiah cash
5. Book 2–4 weeks in a serviced apartment or Airbnb near an MRT station, above the ground floor
6. Register your SIM in person after landing (passport and ITAS, face scan), and register your phone's IMEI if it came from abroad
7. Get international health insurance with direct billing at Pondok Indah or Siloam before you fly
8. Once you have the ITAS, open a local bank account and get an NPWP tax number
9. Before a longer lease, check the air and flood risk of the exact building, visit in person, and sign a bilingual contract

14Useful links & Telegram

• Indonesian Immigration — E33G official page
• MAM Corporate Solutions — E33G remote worker visa guide
• MAM Corporate Solutions — Indonesia visa categories explained
• IQAir — Jakarta live air quality
• Grey — cost of living in Jakarta
• Embassy of Japan in Indonesia — visa information
• VFS Global — Japan visa information, Indonesia
• Indonesia (Bali) relocation guide

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