Indonesia, like Malaysia, had a lot of varying reviews from fellow travelers when I asked about the cost. One thing was easy for everyone to agree on: it’s a big country that isn’t easy to get around.
Here’s the thing about Indonesia: it can be really cheap, or it can be quite expensive, depending on one big thing – transportation. There is a huge discrepancy between private, tourist transport and local transport. I’m not sure why, but I never did see another foreigner on any of the public busses or ferries that I took anywhere in Indonesia. I couldn’t quite understand it since a private car costs around $100 one-way, and a public bus tended to cost more like $1.50 for the same distance. It was a no-brainer to me!
Apart from transport costs, there are some other ways to take the cost way down in Indonesia, such as where you eat, your haggling ability, and whether you do things independently or by tour. Where you are in Indonesia is also a huge contributing factor.
After six weeks in Indonesia, my daily average came out to $31/day (leaving out my SCUBA trip as I realize that is a factor many people won’t involve when planning their trip). Here’s the breakdown:
Accommodation:
There were far fewer dorms available in Indonesia as compared to countries that are more firmly on the banana pancake (Read: Southeast Asia backpacker) trail, such as Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Naturally, for a solo traveler, this forces the costs to go up. The cheapest place I stayed was in Bukit Lawang, a trekking town in Sumatra, for only 50,000 Rupiah (USD$5) per night for my own room with a balcony on the river, ensuite bathroom, and a mosquito net around the bed without holes – trust me, this was a luxury. The most I paid was closer to $15 in Java at a guesthouse that had a bit of a monopoly on the area in Kawah Ijen.
In general, accommodation in Sumatra was the cheapest, while rooms on Flores and especially Java happened to be a lot more expensive and offered much less bang for my buck.
Transportation:
This is where a budget can me made or broken. I only had one major (quite major) blunder when getting around Indonesia. I was so used to the cheap Air Asia flights in Malaysia, where I would spent $18 to cross the country, that I didn’t consider how much it would cost me to get from one end of Indonesia in Sumatra, to the other in Flores, in order to make it in time for a SCUBA diving live aboard trip I had booked. What was the damage? Almost $300 US dollars. Yeah, ouch. What’s more, Indonesian airlines don’t allow non-Indonesian credit cards when booking online, so do some research first to know the prices, and then visit a travel agent to book any flights.
Otherwise, I made sure to always take public transportation. As I mentioned earlier, nobody else seemed to do this, but it was incredibly cheap. The least expensive bus I took was about 4 hours and cost me $1.40. I’m not sure why almost nobody else did this, as it wasn’t too difficult and even ended up in some funny stories and great interactions with locals. I must be in about 100 people’s random photos at this point.
*Tip: Don’t let a tout sell you a ticket. Pay the attendant on the bus directly. Even if you’re dropped off outside of what appear to be ticket windows, they take a cut. Climb onto the bus that is going where you want to go, and you’ll be approached once the bus gets going by an attendant who will quote a price. Don’t be afraid to say,“mahal” (expensive) if it sounds astronomical. In general, a public, non-airconditined bus should not be more than a few dollars. Also be aware that many people smoke in Indonesia, and even enclosed busses will sometimes have smokers on board. This is just the reality of overland travel in this country.
Food and Drink:
This is where Indonesia became fabulously cheap. I often ate meals, especially in Java, for less than a dollar. The way to do this is to find a warung which cater more to locals and serve local foods. Indonesian food is delicious, so why not eat local? It helps to know what a few of the items on the menu are before ordering, as they may not be listed in English and it’s possible the cook will not speak English.
Mie – Noodles
Nasi – Rice
Goreng – Fried
Nasi Campur – Steamed rice, noodles, some sort of vegetable, and fried chicken, typically
Soto Ayam – Chicken noodle soup (soto means soup)
Ayam – Chicken
Sate – Grilled meat on a stick
Tempeh – A soy-nut meat substitute (try it, it’s good!)
Cheap vs. Expensive Places in Indonesia
Sumatra was by far the cheapest island in Indonesia that I visited. I only wish I could have stayed there longer. The food was amazing, the people were kind, and the public transport was perfectly reasonable. I only had a chance to visit Lake Toba and Bukit Lawang, but I plan to return soon and see more of it.
The places that returned the least value for my money were Java and Gili Trawangan. That said, they were still cheap at anywhere from $8-$15 per night per room. Also, I had an absolute blast on Gili T and really enjoyed the beautiful volcanos in Java. It was worth it to pay a little more.
Other Incidentals:
Haggle, haggle, haggle! Indonesia travel costs can vary widely if the ticket seller thinks he can get more money out of you. The starting price is never the ending price, and this goes for almost everything. Even posted prices are sometimes negotiable. At least try, and if you don’t get the price you want, walking away is a good tactic. You’ll almost always hear, “OK! Come back,” and will get the discounted price you wanted. In more touristed areas like Bali and Gili T, this will be tougher as many short-vacationers don’t know this and will pay the astronomical prices.
Buy tickets directly from the sellers. Cutting out the middle man always saves money. Book tours directly which helps avoid scams and is always cheaper.
Lastly SIM cards were ridiculously cheap. I really don’t know why, but I only paid $3 for 2 gigs of 3G with the 3 network. I have never spent so little on a data plan in my life! Simpati tended to work much better in the smaller towns and cost me a lot more. I alternated between the two cards as needed.
Perfect! This is what I need to prepare for my trip!
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Yay I love being helpful 🙂
I looked into Kalimantan and Tanjung Puting NP seemed like a good option, however the fact that Kalimantan is not as touristy as the Malaysian Borneo it lacks good infrastructure. And all tours offered there have gotten too expensive, so that’s why i’m looking at the Malaysian Borneo. Sabah is also an option for us so If you would compare Sabah to Sumatra which one would you pick? In terms of trekking, wildlife and in general things to do there?
Thanks:)
Sumatra unless you’re a SCUBA diver in which case Sipadan in Sabah 🙂
My daughter, 17 in high school, is planning to apply for a trip to Indonesia as a foreign exchange student next summer for a month. This will be her second trip. This summer she went as a foreign exchange student to Germany. In Indonesia she will be living with a host family. I was hoping you could help me with a few questions. Your information was extremely helpful!!
1. What are some essentials she should bring to Indonesia? I saw you mentioned a mosquito net without holes.
2. What is the weather like?
3. Should we send her with cash or a debit card?
4. What are some customs she needs to be aware of as a young lady?
5. Is it appropriate for her to cover her hair?
6. Is it better to wear sandles or tennis shoes?
7. Are there any safety issues?
8. Did most people speak English?
9. Did you need any immunizations before going to Indonesia?
10. Did you have to purchase bottled water?
11. How was the passenger’s hygiene on the bus.
12. Are there any foods she should avoid?
13. Was there any crime?
I want her to be mentally prepared when she goes over there. Thank you!!
Hi Jenelle, here’s my best attempt to get those answered:
1. Lightweight clothing that covers her knees and shoulders (unless she’s studying on Bali which is Hindu), Mosquito net, more here: https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/packing-for-southeast-asia/
2. hot and humid all the time. It’s tropical
3. A bit of cash and a debit card with no foreign transaction fees like Charles Schwab
4. http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_id.htm
5. She doesn’t need to
6. sandles
7. Dependent on where she’s studying but the host family should be able to fill her in on what not to do where they live
8. No
9. Yes, visit the travel doctor in your county or your GP: https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/travel-healthcare-immunizations/
10. yes
11. The bus isn’t as pretty as back home but I never had any problems
12. eat all the food! it’s delicious!
13. What targets tourists is mostly just scamming and there is petty crime, like anywhere
Rad tips Kristin! Will definitely be heading to Indonesia while in Southeast Asia. I’ve taken public transport in so many places so it’ll probably be my way of getting around there as well.
Even if it was more expensive I’d still do it because it’s such a cool part of the experience!
Awesome tip on getting the local SIM cards. For digital nomads, connectivity is vital. Thanks!
Absolutely!
I have to say, we have been unpleasantly surprised by how not cheap Indonesia has been. We expected prices on Bali to be somewhat inflated (and they were and the people there do not like to haggle, especially in high season), but I wish I had known that Flores would also be such a cash suck. I’ve been really shocked at how expensive lodging here has been (we only found one place in Labuan Bajo that had rooms for < $20US) given how gross and dirty and basic most of the rooms are. Transportation costs are pretty cheap, but everything else burns cash like nobody's business. We went to a padang place the other night in Bajawa, Flores (read: not a tourist town) and they charged us 90k for two plates of food & 2 mugs of tea, something we know should have been at most, half the price. I'm impressed you kept your meals cost so low because we find that we can rarely get away spending less than $3US per person, and that's going to restaurants that are meant for locals, not tourists. I think the blatant price gouging here in Indo is some of the worst I have experienced anywhere in Asia!
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Labuan Bajo was definitely expensive. I found a few decent places to stay (Gardena) for sub $20, but the guesthouse attendants were sometimes a little rude (the guy who works there. ugh!)
You’ve got to stay out of restaurants. Only eat at warungs. They’ll have one to two tables and no written menu. Just point to what you want and if you can learn a few local words in Indonesia, it’ll save you tons of money.
really like your blog. yeah i don’t know why in bromo and ijen still many scammers agent. many people
event tourist lost their money a lot.
Thanks Tony! It’s just one of those things I guess. The best thing to do is just be prepared.
This post is awesome. Spot on! I think many travelers don’t do public transport because of a few reasons like it’s a hassle because there’s not fixed price or schedule, the bus/car is dodgy, or they can choose to spend just a little more on shared taxis. It’s just about preference. But surely for the more ‘local’ experience, the public transport (as in buses) are the way to go.
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The funny thing is the tourist busses sometimes stop more and take even longer. They’re equally dodgy!
I am pretty surprised that sumatera is cheaper than java. I don’t know, for me, the accommodation, the transportation, the food are easy to find and vary in cost so it just suits you. Probably, it’s because I’m from java :p
Well, sumatera is quite challenging. Can’t wait to explore it. And, thanks for visiting Indonesia.
PS: Is that picture of Indomie that you put on the article? My eyes just spotted it anyway. It’s one of the best food in the world. LOL
I found Sumatra to be the cheapest place I went to in Indonesia by far! The food was a little cheaper in Java but the real expense is in accommodation.
That’s mie in the photo 🙂 I think sate might be the best food in the world, though.
If you want to visit again can I help.
Cool , i barely see any foreigner who want’s to ride local transportation in Indonesia! To be honest you’re the first one! great information you have here in your blog! kee travelling!
Nice post. I learn something new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon everyday.
It’s always exciting to read through content from other writers and use a little something from other websites.
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Thanks for your marvelous posting! I actually enjoyed reading it, you’re a great author.
I will ensure that I bookmark your blog and will eventually come back at some
point. I want to encourage continue your great posts, have a nice weekend!
Hey Kristin – thanks for sharing this! We, too, found that the costs in Indo really varied, but overall, we were most disappointed by Flores. The accommodation was so crappy for what we he had to pay. Surprisingly, touristy Bali offered some real bang for the buck!
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I didn’t find Flores as bad as Java, but agree it was pricey. I can imagine Bali would be better but I skipped it.
wow!! very details! luv it 🙂 🙂
TWB
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It carries nice information.
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Awesome post. You should definitely visit my city and share your experience.
Hey Kristin,
I want to thank you for the great article; I am trying to organize a trip to Indonesia for this upcoming summer, and this is very helpful.
I was wondering if you had a quick second for me to ask you a question though about your travels. When you are traveling in Indonesia, especially when you were in Java, were you traveling solo? Did you meet people when you got there to travel with? One of the only issues I am having right now in planning my trip is finding a travel buddy, and I am a little apprehensive to do Java alone as a female traveler. If you did go solo how did you organize it? Can you recommend relatively safe places to go in Java? thank-you so much I seriously appreciate the help.
Kind regards,
Heather
Hi Heather,
I travel solo 99% of the time and always meet people. Same with Java though it wasn’t as social as, say, Vietnam.
Hi! I know you said getting to sumatra was one of the unfortunately expensive parts of indo for you, but how did you end up getting there? Flight? Im trying to get there on my next indo trip and all I can find are random flights so im assauming thats the main way? Thx!!!
It was getting from Sumatra to Flores that was expensive. I bought a flight from Kota Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo to Medan in Sumatra for only $60 with Air Asia.
Hi Kristin,
A group of us are currently looking into traveling to Indonesia for a month and we weren’t really sure where the best places to go would be..
My friend is in Bali so we would more than likely spend a week there in order for him to teach me a dive course, but other than that we have no idea about where we want to go, do you have any advice?
I’m also not sure how much money we would need for our trip, we are currently completing our second Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand and shall be saving up while we are still over here and then traveling to Indo on our way home in June. Unfortunately that won’t leave us with much cash and we shall most probably to traveling on a budget.. I would like to see a couple of islands if possible and my main expensive will be diving, although i’ve heard its around $30 USD per dive, including discount (i’ll have my own dive gear and plan on paying for bulk dives) so it seems manageable providing i save enough.
My last question is.. Whats the best way to get to and from the islands? I’m assuming there isn’t as many boats available in Indo compared to Thailand as the islands are further away?
I love reading your posts and find all of your information extremely helpful in planning any trips abroad, so thank you!
Keep up the awesome work,
Emily 🙂
Hi Emily. If you take a look at the post, “She gave me rice and bananas” I talk about traveling cheaply and using local transport, which most people don’t do in Indonesia. If you do that you can get to Flores which has great (but more expensive) diving. Lombok and the Gili islands are great too. That’s the best use of a month there, I think.
Hey !
I really like your blog and it’s really helpful for all the travelers around the world especially the people who will come to see my country Indonesia.
I have some questions:
1) When did you start your trip in Indonesia ?
2) Where is the most beautiful island that you really love ?
3) What do you think about Indonesia ?
4) Do you have any advice to make this country better and more famous ?
Thank you for your reply 🙂
Cheers !!
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1) It was June 2013
2) Lombok or Rinca – both are great
3) Indonesia is HUGE, very diverse, and a great place to explore but you need a lot of time to see it all
4) There is so much more to Indonesia than Bali. I hope more people will realize that
Hello.. I’m from Indonesia
if you come to Indonesia again, may you try to visit Raja Ampat Islands , Papua Barat Province
I think Raja Ampat Islands is the best place in Indonesia.. 🙂
That’s my plan for when I return!
Hi Kristin, i just discovered your website. Wow well done! I have a question for you:) my wife and i are going to Indonesia for 3-4 weeks in August. We will do 1 week in Java to see temples, 1 week in Bali just because everyone seems to say GO TO BALI, and then 1 week in either Borneo (probably Sarawak) or Sumatra (Bukit Lawang). Do you have any recomendations on what would be our best wildlife/jungle experience? We want to see the orangutangs but i wouldn’t say it’s the most important thing.
Thanks!!
Looking forward to hearing back from you and following your blog
I haven’t been to Sarawak – which is actually Malaysia. Are you thinking of Kalimantan? I can only speak for Bukit Lawang which I absolutely loved. You can see from my photos here that I had a really good wildlife sighting experience! https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/bukit-lawang-trekking/
I heard you need a round trip ticket to obtain a visa to enter Indonesia. How did you work that into your trip?
I got a 60-day visa in Kuala Lumpur before entering Indonesia since I was going to be there for longer than the 30 days you get with a VOA. I had heard they might ask for proof of onward passage when I applied but they didn’t. You can book a ticket on Expedia and cancel with no penalty as long as you cancel within 24 hours.
So helpful. Thanks.
Hey Kristin!
I’m currently in Gili T and was wondering what the best (and cheapest!) way to get to Komodo was, I see some photos of you in your blog with Komodo dragons and have only found 4 days trip boats for 1.5 million..
Any help would be greatly appreciated! 😀
Thanks,
Em
The locals must take some kind of public transport, so ask around!
I took a 6-day diving trip with Wicked Diving, which is more than 1.5 million, but so worth it
do u have kids, i am asking this to know how does one manage travelling with kids
No I don’t but check out ytravelblog.com or travelingcanucks.com as they both do!
Have you tried to surf in Bali, Kristin?:) Bali is my next trip, thank you for detailed information, I can calculate now how much I’m gonna spend for accomodation and food there!
I’m loving reading all of your info on Malaysia and Indonesia as my husband and I are currently planning our next backpacking adventure for this winter. I’m curious, did you enter Indonesia by plane or by boat? We’re contemplating flying into BKK and traveling overland south into Malaysia and then to Indonesia. Did you happen to notice any good areas for surfing in either country?
I took a plane and I think that might make the most sense from Malaysia anyways. Air Asia is pretty cheap from KL to Bali, like dirt cheap sometimes! Definitely tons of great surf in Indo. Try Kuta on the island of Lombok
That really sucks about not being able to book flights online as it is more convenient. But, $300 to fly from one island to another? Ouch! I am planning to go to Bali in 2017 and was considering spending a few days on Komodo Island while I was there, but not so sure about this now.
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That was from Sumatra, so from Bali might not be as bad since it’s much more major. But yeah, that was a tough one.
What a wonderful fount of information you are!
I have just recently started considering a visit to Jakarta to visit a new friend and as you have indicated, it looks like getting there will be by far the greatest expense. I saw your helpful tips about travel within the country but what about travel from the U.S. In my case travel would start in Houston, TX.
Thanks Kutie