Experience in Jakarta, Indonesia by Austella

What is it like to live in Jakarta? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

If you like summer weather then I would recommend it to you guys. Because Indonesia is a tropical country. But keep in mind that Jakarta traffic and pollution is really bad. But the food is well seasoned and the living cost is much cheaper than some other countries. There's a lot of lounges and clubs if you like to hang out or party.

What is the student lifestyle like in Jakarta?

Some people are open minded but some just stick with drama. Some students love going to club and party stuffs and do what make them "famous". Just be careful with who you befriend with. And it's important to have a good relation with teacher or professor.

How much does it cost to live in Jakarta?

Well it depend on your location, the centre area (the busy one) are more pricy. If you're renting a room in shared house (we called it kost, here in Jakarta) it cost around 100$ to 300$ a month. Apartment is more pricey. For daily expense if you're economical Rp. 3.000.000 should be more than enough, but if you like to party and hang out a lot it might take more than Rp. 7.000.000 per month

Is it difficult to find Transportation in Jakarta? Is there any advice you can give? 

No, it's really easy. We have an app like uber, grab and gojek. It's cheaper using these apps rather than a taxi. We also have a public transport such as Transjakarta, bus, train, bajaj and angkot. But I recommend to just use the apps.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Indonesian food is rich of spices. Most of the food is kinda spicy. But there's also a lot of foreign restaurant that's tasty here. For Indo's food I like Nasi Uduk and Nasi Padang. Pempek is also good, it's a traditional food from Palembang. 

What places would you recommend visiting in Jakarta?

For shopping centre I recommend Grand Indonesia and Central Park. For entertainment, Dufan and Seaworld.

Is it good to eat out in Jakarta? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Yes. For Indonesian food I recommend Marco. For foreign food there's Table 8, Satoo, Namaaz Dining (try this one bcs it's unique), Sushi masa, kintan buffet, shaburi. For cheaper alternative, there's Ikkudo Ichi, Sushi tei, Sate taichan, Ayam penyet (just look at the restaurant on Zomato or Go food app)

Is the nightlife good in Jakarta? Where is good to go?

Yes. For lounge I recommend Skye and Cloud. For club I recommend Blowfish and Fable ( It's depend on the event tho)

What advice would you give future students heading to Jakarta?

Be extra careful!