It is believed that Jakarta is amongst the Asian cities with a lower cost of living for expats. However, they still need to learn the cost of living in Sudirman CBD first before their arrival.
Why? Because despite the claim above, Sudirman CBD is still a high-end residential zone. Expats will likely find out that the cost of living in this business hub is higher than even in the rest of the Jakarta metropolitan area.
As the inflation keeps becoming worse from year to year, prices are slowly increasing too. In this article, learn about living expenses in Jakarta CBD in several categories, from housing and daily expenses to lifestyle, and decide whether it’s worth it or not.
Understanding the Cost of Living in Sudirman
Sudirman CBD is a prestigious, ever-growing business district where every amenity is within walking distance. Unfortunately, convenience and luxury come with bigger costs.
When an expat wants to live here, they have to understand the cost of living in this business hub, based on:
- Living alone or with a family. If an expat brings their own family, they will also need to consider the children’s school and family needs. The cost of living would be entirely different if an expat moves to Sudirman alone and decides to co-live.
- The expat’s own lifestyle. Considering there are so many things an expat could buy in Sudirman CBD, an extravagant lifestyle would spike the cost of living. An expat with a frugal lifestyle would spend less if they knew what they had to do.
Housing and Rental Costs in Sudirman Jakarta
Now that expats can understand, it’s time to start estimating the cost of living in Sudirman Jakarta 2026. First, let’s talk about the rent in Sudirman Jakarta, which will be the most expensive aspect of living.
Apartment Rental Prices (2026 Estimation)
Based on several marketplace sites, the apartment price Sudirman CBD is ranging from 7M IDR to 35M IDR per month. This still largely depends on the room’s specifications, such as the size of apartments and the number of bedrooms that they have.
In case it’s considered expensive, an expat could choose a co-living apartment (referred to as “kost” by locals), which costs less than 7M IDR. This option is only good for expats who are coming to Sudirman alone.
Difference Between Serviced Apartments and Condominiums
Knowing Sudirman CBD is a business hub, an expat will either live in a serviced apartment or in premium condos. In case expats don’t know the difference between them when choosing, here’s what sets them apart:
- The system. A serviced apartment works like a hotel, with housekeeping services and access to some facilities and utilities included in the rental costs. A condominium works like a home but in a vertical building, with facilities and communal areas maintained by a community association.
- The pricing. A serviced apartment uses a leasing system with an option to rent daily, monthly, or yearly. A condominium is mostly bought with the full price, with some offers for preconstruction payments.
- The usage. Expats are choosing a serviced apartment for short-term, cheaper options. They will choose a condo, however, if they want to live in Sudirman CBD longer or use it as a property asset that can be mortgaged or sold later.
Utilities and Maintenance Fees
Another advantage of a serviced apartment is the rental costs cover some of the utilities and maintenance fees. Since an owner of a condominium has to set up their own utilities, expect 1M IDR to 1.5M IDR for monthly utility bills.
These bills include water, gas, electricity, and Wi-Fi installments. There are still other things to consider, like mobile internet plans, gas bills, and housemaid services, but these can be optional in case of saving a budget.
Daily Expenses in Sudirman Jakarta
Next, let’s talk about the daily expenses. Basically, what an expat will spend during their daily life. The daily expenses in Sudirman CBD are low, but there are certain goods that can raise the total expenses.
Dining and Coffee Culture
Food is affordable in Sudirman CBD, as long as it’s not coming from fancy restaurants. Sudirman CBD may be a high-end residential zone, but it still has a food court and a food stall (warung) that sells cheaper meals. For a comparison:
- Meals sold by a warung are priced between 15,000 IDR and 35,000 IDR.
- Meals sold by a food court are priced between 70,000 IDR and 150,000 IDR.
- Meals sold by a fancy restaurant can be priced up to 500,000 IDR.
For an expat with a coffee culture, they may spend between 15,000 IDR and 60,000 IDR. Branded coffee like Starbucks sells for more than 50,000 IDR as of 2026.
Groceries and Imported Goods
Groceries are rather affordable for expats in Sudirman CBD. Though, the prices can be increased at certain times, such as Ramadan and Christmas. The problem with price actually comes from imported goods and alcoholic beverages.
The reason? Imported goods are mostly because of IDR’s low currency exchange, combined with custom taxes. As for alcoholic beverages, it is mostly because of high taxation, which can increase the price up to 10 times.
Transportation Costs
Since transportation in Sudirman CBD can be covered by MRT stations, this is the least concern for expats. The prices vary, but it shouldn’t cost more than 14,000 IDR for a single trip between MRT stations.
As for another option, an expat could rely on ride-hailing services (Gojek, Grab, etc.) with a cost depending on the type of vehicle and destination but still affordably, regardless.
Lifestyle Costs in Sudirman Jakarta
Lifestyle will be a part of the expat living cost Sudirman that is worth knowing. Keep in mind that this still depends on the expat’s own lifestyle. The lifestyle cost of living in Sudirman may include these aspects:
Fitness and Wellness
For fitness, this depends on if an expat already has free access to the gym in their apartment. Otherwise, a gym membership in Sudirman CBD can cost somewhere around 300,000 IDR.
Now, for wellness, the price range is about the same as a gym membership. This usually includes full-body massages and other body treatments that come in a package.
Entertainment and Social Life
There’s not much to say here because the cost largely depends on the expat’s own lifestyle. For reference, nightclubs and bars will definitely be expensive, especially since alcoholic beverages are heavily taxed in Indonesia.
What about smaller entertainments like the cinema experience? Fortunately, it’s still affordable, usually costing 50,000 IDR per ticket. If an expat comes with a family, kids can also enjoy an indoor arcade, Timezone, with some deals that allow unlimited play.
Weekend Escapes and Travel
Since Sudirman CBD is mostly skyscrapers and housing, weekend escapes and travel mostly take place outside the business hub. However, Habitat Park is a good place for locals who desire a nearby healing spot.
The ticket costs 55,000 IDR, with additional charges for a certain attraction. Otherwise, a popular weekend escape is traveling to Puncak, which will take a few hours’ trip from the Sudirman CBD.
Does the Cost of living in Sudirman Make It Worth It for You?
After all the explanations above, the last question remains: is it worth it? The answer depends on the expat’s financial preparedness. Sudirman CBD is relatively affordable, and some aspects can be avoided in favor of cutting down the expenses.
However, the cost of living in Sudirman can be increasingly high without proper financial management, since it is easy to indulge in the business hub. Manage expenses accordingly to keep the cost of living here still affordable.
In case you are looking for a coworking space while living in Sudirman CBD as well, Flow is the best you can get. Located also in the SCBD, Flow offers five-star hospitality with communal areas and world-class design for professionals. Elevate your work experience with Flow now.