I have been told this is the average monthly salary for a local Indonesian.  This works out to be roughly $200 USD.

I suppose I’m considered part of a skilled labor force, so I make more than this amount with a portion dedicated for housing costs.  But is 2 million rupiah enough to live on?

Yes…if you are on a budget (and stay away from bars which can easily take away your extra money), then 2 million can certainly be enough.

Lets go through some basic, every-day costs in the USD equivalent.

-Breakfast snack of 3 fried banana pieces: about $.20

-Warteg meal of rice, vegetables, egg and potato: $.70

-Strawberry (or other fruit) smoothie: $1.00

-Angkot ride (public transportation): anywhere from $.20 – $.50

-1-hour taxi ride through Jakarta traffic: $5-6.00

It is also easy to spend well over this amount…Jakarta is a large city with lots of amenities after all.  However, I’m happy to keep things simple and easy in my quiet area of East Jakarta, and only splurge once in a while.  Especially since “splurging” may only mean spending an extra $10 on something fancy!