Housing and Accommodation

According to Gene Sugandy from real estate provider Colliers International, the main areas that expat families tend to move to are Kemang, Cipete and Pondok Indah.

• Kemang: An older area of Jakarta, Kemang became popular in the 1970’s and 80’s when there was a huge oil boom in the city. The appetite at the time was for grand houses on large lots with swimming pools and garden areas. The drawback is that area was not planned well and it can be confusing with narrow streets not being straight and numbers not in order.
• Cipete: Similar to Kemang, this area has become popular due to the size of the lots and proximity to nearby international school. Alike Kemang, infrastructure around the area is not as developed as in other areas, with small stores on the side of the road being more common than large malls.
• Pondok Indah: This is a newer part of Jakarta that has only been around for the past 20-25 years. It was developed and built with a master plan in mind. Infrastructure was established first and building commencing afterwards. The houses are generally smaller and any larger houses have very little in the way of outdoor space. The area is, however,  within close proximity of major malls.

Rent is expected to be paid a full year in advance meaning that often companies make the payment on behalf of the employee. For a house with a plan of around 800 square meters you can expect to pay $3,000 - 5,000 per month. An apartment of around 200 square metres apartment will cost around $2,000 - $4,000 per month.