Best cities to live in Indonesia

That would be Bandung.

Job prospects are mostly limited to English teachers and those who want to start up their own business.

This is a difficult question, the answer being dependent on the person.

When I was all chilled out and didn't give a flying rats about cash, Wonosobo was great.
As my wife wanted more shopping, Purwokerto worked really well as there is good shopping and a Papa Ron's pizza place, but traffic jams don't happen.
The cinema needs improving, but it isn't horrible.
It'd be a good place for a bule to set up an English language school as there's loads of cash around, but no serious competition in the private sector.
If you want fat sacks of cash for working, the large cities such as Jakarta are the place for you, but the traffic jams are killer and the stress is off the scale.
It also has excellent electronic shopping malls, but rents in and around the city are mad to the point of stupidity.
Yogyakerta is a lovely city, a place I'd be very interesting in retiring to.
It has loads of shopping and all the usual stuff, but it's a nice, friendly city.
Loads of A and B groups there, I think they make up about 50% of the population, so business is very possible.

Ubud, Bali would of course be my biased answer…biased because I’ve never lived anywhere else in Indonesia although I’ve visited many other places.  Of course Ubud is more of a town than a city. 

The only significant downside to Ubud is jobs for foreigners.  Unless an expat is going to start their own business, or buy an existing business…jobs are nearly impossible to find here.

I loved Bogor when I lived there.

I've lived in Lombok close to Senggigi for the past nearly 17 years.  My wife runs two homestays and I get to meet many Western tourists traveling around Indonesia and I listen to their feelings and observations.  None of what I have heard would entice me to leave Lombok.  The only place I have grown interested in is Flores Island.  It is in the early stages of tourist development and offers opportunities in the industry and a laid back life style. As for Bali, Jakarta and Surabaya, that I have experienced first hand, I can enjoy for a few days there but no longer. For many westerners their lives seem to revolve around a plate of food and therefore restaurants.  While Lombok has its fair share of good restaurants they do not interest me perhaps because my wife is an excellent cook. But there is more to Indonesia than food, restaurants and Bintang beer and thats why I'm here. 
Adrian.   

I think I'd get fed up with Lombok after a while.
Probably 30 or 40 years.  I wonder if there's room for a bule to set up an English course there.

I could have lived anywhere in Indonesia when I moved here and I gave a lot of thought into where to settle. The shortlist was Bali, Jakarta, BSD, Padang, Yogya and Bandung.

I find Bali to be stressful in the south and kinda boring further north (in terms of living there). I don't really want to integrate with the local Balinese village culture and also my wife is not Balinese so it's not that attractive for settling down. I am happy to keep it for holidays.

I have a lot of friends and family in BSD but it is just a new town/satellite town from Jakarta and I really feel very bored every time I go there. Also it is extremely hot there. I'll be there again in a couple of weeks on the way to the airport.

Jakarta is like most other cities, traffic jams, shopping malls and not a place for a relaxed lifestyle. And many of  the shopping malls are a long taxi ride from each other. People are not so friendly there either.

Yogya is interesting culturally but I always find it like a big village in the middle of nowhere. Lots of sights to see, lots of handicrafts, and it has an airport and universities, But it still feels like a village to me. Then there is the threat of being fossilized in volcanic ash one day.

Padang is a really nice place, beautiful landscapes and beaches, great to explore the entire West Sumatra area. But Padang city is close to sea level, to the next tsunami might wipe it all away. That and the risks of earthquakes. The city is too isolated and small too.

Bandung is a city that feels like a town. The people are very friendly, it has a great climate and nice local food. Most of the streets are lined with very old trees providing lots of shade and there are so many colonial bungalows. The cooler climate is already a good enough reason to settle there. Then there is the proximity to Jakarta and it's airport, only 3 hours away. And Bandung also has its own airport. It has a young dynamic population and a lot of creative people, much like Yogya has. It is busy enough to not get bored and to be able to live like a normal person. There are also not that many foreigners around. I have no stress here and I do not feel isolated. Isolation or the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere far from civilization is not my cup of tea. Bandung is my choice.

Not surprisingly, Julien’s question is one which is almost impossible to answer with objectivity.  Unless one has actually lived in a particular Indonesian city as opposed to simply visiting it (the same as any other tourist), how can one comment on the pros and cons of actually living there? 

One aspect which hasn’t yet been mentioned is the state of life one is at when trying to select the most suitable city.  For example, a retiree moving to Indonesia is more likely not going to be looking for a vibrant, busy and youthful college town like Bandung or Yogyakarta, as opposed to an area with rich local culture, a cooler year round climate, and privacy offered by an area like Ubud, and the northern highlands of Bali.  Moreover, for younger folks, the selection of city to live in will very often be dictated by their employment and career choice.  For example, the Big Durian (Jakarta) undeniably has a very high percentage of expats living there for the simply reason that their job is based there.   

And then there is the consideration of family, and in particular, what cities or areas of Indonesia are best suited for raising children.  Obvious considerations there would be issues like availability and quality of education, medical care, and safety, as well as the nearby proximity to interesting activities…theme parks, beaches, sports, museum/cultural activities and the like.  In my opinion the two best places for raising children would be Jakarta and central Bali.  But that’s not to say that all other areas are necessarily unsuitable for raising children. 

A final consideration would be the marital status of the expat. 

A young and single expat, be they male or female, is most likely to find more abundant opportunities to meet people in Jakarta than they are in Yogyakarta, Solo or Surabaya.  And again, Bali would be right up there with Jakarta with those opportunities. 

Foreign expats marrying locals, and in particular, male foreign expats marrying female locals will often find that their new bride would most prefer to live near her family.  For female foreign expats marrying local males, most often there is no choice…you will be living where your husband calls home.   

Selecting a city or place in Indonesia to live is as personal a decision as it gets, and many factors play into that decision. 

But the good news is that the endless diversity to be found here makes it a certainty that one can, and will find “the nest” most suitable for them.

I am going to promote JAKARTA.

OK... I am going to play the "devil's advocate" here, I am going to choose Jakarta as a place to visit or live. Putting aside the problems Jakarta has.
Since Jakarta has not been promoted as a tourist destination and not too many tourists or expats promote it enough. And most often they are seemingly "lost" in this concrete jungle.
http://www.jakarta-tourism.go.id/destinations

Known as DKI Jakarta (Special Capital Region of Jakarta) is home to over 10 million people (2010 census). The actual Megapolis is still build up on a metropolitan area known as Jabodetabek, and unofficially extends into Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi, Karawang, Serang, Purwakarta, Sukabumi, Subang regencies/municipalities and home to over 30 million people (2010 census). Making it the fourth largest in the world.

From Wikipedia. Based on Brooking institute survey, In 2011 economic growth in Jakarta ranked 17th among world's 200 largest cities.
Thus as you can see, Jakarta's business opportunities, as well as its potential to offer a higher standard of living, attract migrants from all over Indonesia, making the city a melting pot of many communities and cultures


- Culturally
Jakarta is known as Batavia in the distant Dutch colonial days. That is why you will see many attachment to the old days exist in old buildings, places or museums.
There is the old place called  Passer Baroe (Pasar Baru).
There are lots of museums to visit and some local tours like panorama will guide you through these places.

- Artistically
There are schools and places of art located within Jakarta. There is a community of them, music and art.

- Communities
They have the largest community of expats from German, Korean, Japanese, Indian and Chinese. You will find local flavours, recipes, groceries matching these communities.

- Location
Location wise it is strategically located, with easy access to the rest of Indonesia. It has 3 terminal airports. And by roads, it is possible to travel to East Java or Sumatra.

- Schools
It has the best education you can provide within Indonesia. There are International schools or institutions catering to American, British or European standards. So you dont have to study local curriculum.

- Food on offer
You can find all the best choices and selection of culinary within Indonesia in Jakarta. You can even have the comfort of delivery to your location with a cheap delivery fee (less than 1 USD).
http://id.openrice.com/jakarta/restauranthttps://www.foodpanda.co.id/
There are well developed 24 hours mini-market and restaurants on offers as well.

- Transportation
Logistic wise you have the best selection within Indonesia on offer.
- Motorcycle Taxis (Gojek on app)
- Bluebird Taxi  (hire daily is even possible)
- Courier JNE

- Entertainment
There are many theme parks within easy reach. The list are too long. So I will provide the link to some famous ones.
http://www.jakarta-tourism.go.id/recreation
-- Ancol Dreamland
-- Taman Safari (1 day trip easy reach back and forth)
Etc etc

Jakarta might not be the glittering gold that other smaller cities/towns on offer in Indonesia. However, it still remains to be one of the interesting city you have to experience - whether you are a short term visitor or long term resident.

Well said and I agree with your feelings, except Lombok is the place for me.  It seems that choice is also influence by age and experience.  Having lived in major cities around the world such as Johannesburg, Durban, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, London, Tokyo, Paris with time in Houston, Singapore, Istanbul, Hamburg, Bahrain, Dubai and the West Africa cities of Conakry and Douala Indonesia cities hold little interest for me. they tend to be in catch up mode.  Cities are not representative of beautiful Indonesia.  To me Indonesian quality of life is in the  islands east of Bali.
Adrian
Lombok

As has already been voiced, the best city is where you can earn a crust and/or suits your lifestyle.
Jakarta's main draw is its cash, but that comes with problems, mostly traffic jams and a higher crime rate, along with the stress of city life.
The resort areas of the city tend not to be cheap, so I'm less than convinced they're value for money, but others will disagree with me on that issue.

I still have a soft spot for Purwokerto, a reasonably well off area, and it's handy for so many other places such as Jogja or a weekend in Wonosobo.

Adrian, you mentioned Flores in your earlier post, and I agree 100%.  For the more adventurous and pioneering type of folks, Flores would be hard to beat.  As you say, awesomely beautiful.

I have been only in bali actually! So i can really say that,bali is a holiday island!all the travellers in there are looking for relax and fun. But try to find a job in there is very hard ! Unless you build your own business ! Most of the workers in bali are local people. For holidays is perfect is actually one of the most beautiful island where i have been
For a job try in thailand wich offer more opportunities and is similar to indonesia

I agree with you completely. It's exactly that. Full of tourists everywhere and kind of stressful and noisy. It is getting far too commercial and that's what is spoiling it.

Hi I'm uni.
I recommend Jakarta Bogor. Bandung Jogja Surabaya Bukittinggi Medan Manado Makassar Bali

Haha...I've been to all of those places except Manado, and they are all excellent places depending on your personal interests, whether you work or not, whether you like city life or remote areas and on what type of food you like.

Manado food is super spicey too. Bukittinggi is a wonderful place but a little too isolated and small. But it only goes to show that there is not one perfect place in Indonesia but many.

“I agree with you completely. It's exactly that. Full of tourists everywhere and kind of stressful and noisy. It is getting far too commercial and that's what is spoiling it.”

But that only applies to southern Bali.  The rest of Bali is hardly stressful, noisy or with tourists everywhere.

As the old saying goes, there’s a whole lot more to Bali than Kuta!   

Speaking of Bali, and specifically how most tourists miss the real gems of Bali because they spend most of their time in the south, my niece Sita, now in her senior year at the Tourism Institute in Nusa Dua has been working with the Bali Department of Tourism to promote more tourism “off the beaten path” where the “real Bali” can be found.

Their objective is to specifically promote tourism to certain villages which are happy to welcome foreign visitors.

While somewhat still “in the rough” here are seven videos in the making:

1. Bangli regency
https://youtu.be/HMqJ7cKIVLwhttps://youtu.be/hORzgTxSL9s

2. Karangasem regency
https://youtu.be/rFdaiWb-J48https://youtu.be/VR6M_-j5TCwhttps://youtu.be/eTuzhv_iWLA

3. Badung regency
https://youtu.be/NNKyDxyg_EAhttps://youtu.be/hXvjuiQsa9E

If any of these villages look too commercial, full of tourists everywhere, or stressful and noisy, please let me know.   

When I visited Bali some years ago, I purposefully changed hotels when entering a new regency/district. So I had in mind pre-booked several hotels before arriving.

In some ways, could appreciate the different crowds and surrounding environment, with cutting distance travelled every day.

A time well spent rather than staying put in 1 place.

Bali is definitely an interesting place to live, particularly for retirement or if you want to start a business that caters to the many expats living there such as a bar or restaurant.

However, jobwise, it is extremely limited. The best place to find a job would be Jakarta. Having said that, many of the Language Schools that employ English teachers such as EF have branches allover Indonesia. I can even remember some 15 odd years ago when it only cost around Rp100 million to buy a franchise for EF. Goodness knows how much it would cost these days as EF is one of the most successful language schools around.

Absolutely, enduringword. 

I always suggest first time visitors to Bali to not book beyond their first night at any given hotel on Bali unless they are planning to be here in peak times like July/August, Christmas/New Years or Idul Fitri (which is very busy with non Muslims from Java).

It is much better to look for a place later on each day.  And given the incredible diversity of lodging in Bali, all sorts of pleasant surprises await the patient traveler.  Two other advantages are being able to inspect the room that would be yours, and nothing beats the advantage of being able to negotiate, cash in hand and being right there.

Having this freedom from being committed for days at one singular hotel allows the visitor to explore Bali at will and without consideration of time and distance back to that hotel.  Going with the flow, or where your nose leads you, is always the best way to explore Bali. 

As for bars and restaurants on Bali, I don’t know of any that cater specifically to expats.  For certain, the most successful ones do an excellent business with tourists and locals as well as the expat community near their location.  These days, with an ever increasing economic stance, and contact with the rest of world via internet and social media, younger locals in particular are very fond of eating out, trying various foods, and connecting with each other in restaurants and bars.  In general, anyone coming to Bali with the idea of starting a new local business (non export) would be most wise to avoid limiting their target market to expats.

Nobody has mentioned Solo, but I have a Dutch friend who has lived there for many years. Solo is near to some of the most beautiful scenery in Java including some amazing coastline. So for those who love nature and who don't need to work, and prefer a more quiet lifestyle in Java then this may very well be a nice place to settle.

Hello Guys,

I guess Jabodetabek Area is far more developed than any other part of Indonesia (Exceluding: Bandung and Bali). I Currently reside in BSD. Am very satisfied here.

BSD (Serpong area) is a built up, well serviced town with pretty much everything you need easily available.
It varies from older estates such as Melati mas, to top end very expensive areas.
A couple of McDs and all the other common western junk food places make it handy for almost everyone.
Shopping is easy and there are several malls either in in town area or not all that far away.
The toll roads mean you can get almost anywhere without too much trouble, more so if they ever build the proposed new one from the end of the Bintaro toll up to the Tangerang/Merak toll and airport

Jabodetabek roads infrastructure still cannot be compared on international standard.

Internationally, when you have tolls and highway, you can travel easily from 80 km/h to 120 km/h. It is always a pleasure to drive. I have driven 400 km each trip, and then return in a single day on some errands. Without breaking a sweat.

Try that on Jakarta to somewhere else. even 20 to 30 km ( Jakarta to Tangearang or Jakarta to Bogor) could take between 2 hours to 5 hours. What a joke really.

I cannot wait for the MRT system to materialise. Line 1 takes too long to finish. I am really holding my breath to exasperation....

In contrast, whereas Shanghai, you have a train station every few km throughout the city, by 2020 there are 18 lines and over 400 stations cover 800km tracks. The city is so interconnected and even plans to connect to neighboring cities mrt system.

Must Jakarta wait until 2050? What a bummer...

The powers that be in Indonesia transportation system, must grow some brains and resolve to fix the country long overdue wretched Jabodetabek transport  system. What a waste on economic output daily, yearly on logistics and travel. If calculated on how much efficiency and gains, it would be mind boggling I betcha.

Very Very True,,,, comparing jkt vs shg. As comparing a turtle vs a rabbit lol,,, main problem in this country is the government corrouption

Actually BSD is a really nice suburban area, very pretty and spacious with great malls and things to do. I went to the Aeon Mall the other day and loved it, loads of Japanese restaurants and stores and great shopping. BSD really has a nice quality of life. It has Ikea too. The only negative for me is that it is a new town (20 odd years ago it was all rubber plantations) so it has not much history and not really any buildings older than around 20 years old. For me it is a bit like living in Malaysia, very organized and lots of malls. So for a certain lifestyle yes it is a great place to live. I have just lived that lifestyle too much in the past so prefer somewhere with more history and culture.