Things to Know Before Relocating to Jakarta

Relocating to Jakarta is somewhat of a big deal. This is especially true if you have never been there. In this case, all you have is either what you’ve read about the place, or what a friend has shared. Other than that, you are moving into completely unknown waters. And this can be both frightening as well as exciting.

Still, we are here to look at the positives! Jakarta is amazing. Wherever you are moving from, you are going somewhere great! Granted, there are things that you will not be prepared for, however, we will try our best to give you a few tips that you should know before relocating to Jakarta. They might not turn the entire experience into a successful one, but it should be helpful if you know nothing about the place, to begin with.

Relocating to Jakarta – Where do You Even Start?

Before you read any of this, the best thing you could possibly do is a little research on your own. The internet is a very powerful tool. The knowledge that you can find there is practically infinite, and you should use it as much as you can. Namely, there are countless forums and chat rooms where people exchange their experiences. You are bound to find someone with experience of relocating to Jakarta, before knowing anything about the place.

One thing to keep in mind – not everything that you can read on the internet is true. This is why you should take all this information with a grain of salt. Make sure to read up on the facts – those are almost always true. The rest is open for other people’s interpretations, and they might have a different perspective than you. Still, any experience you can read about is valuable.

Relocating to Jakarta – The Most Important Bits

So, most common facts aside, we are going to discuss some, maybe, less popular but also very relevant. Take these as somewhat of a tip that should make your stay in Jakarta a bit more comfortable.

The Traffic

Now, traffic is a very common topic for almost all places in the world. Jakarta will be no different. The bad news is that you will have to ready yourself for horrific traffic conditions. It is nearly impossible to navigate around Jakarta the way you would imagine. However, it is not all dire if you are willing to make a compromise – not to drive a car. This is, however, a huge compromise to make. Some people would not even consider it.

Still, if you are flexible, you should most definitely consider not driving a car but rather using some transportation services that are not half bad. For instance, you could be using Gojek. This is a south-eastern Asian thing, but if you were to compare it to something – it would be Uber or an Asian version of it. Still, it is a brilliant way to get by. Alternatively, there is Grabbike or the commuter line that will all allow you to avoid any and all traffic you’d otherwise be stuck in for hours.

The Rent

One thing that you will be blown away by is the price of rent in Jakarta. Now, the prices are so high that it is absolutely not worth renting either a studio or an apartment over there. This means nothing to those who are relocating to Jakarta for work. In these scenarios, the company usually provides the place to stay, and this does not concern you one bit.

However, if you are doing all this at your own expense you should really consider renting something outside of Jakarta. You would be saving a tremendous amount of money this way. This way, you can put that money to better use, for example, to transport your belongings from your homecountry. You will surely want all of your favorite things with you as soon as possible.

Renting a house outside of Jakarta doesn’t mean that you’d be living on a farm. There are some stunning locations lurking around Jakarta, like for instance Tangerang, Bekasi or Depok. They are all quite worth checking out!

The Food

Ok, I believe we have had enough with the bad news. Time for something jolly! The food! First of all, the food is absolutely amazing. It doesn’t matter if you eat in restaurants, or simply enjoy the street food – you will be blown away.

And this is not all! The food, aside from being amazing, is amazingly cheap. Even though some things are rather expensive, things like food are very largely available to everyone!

Thieves

You will have to be extremely careful when moving around Jakarta. This goes especially for public transport. Thieves and pickpockets are a large threat and a very serious one. There are countless thieves that are lurking around every corner, just waiting to snatch your valuables. This is especially so if you are recognized as an outsider. 

This is why you will need to be extra careful with all your belongings. Make sure you stash them somewhere where you can see them, and you should be ok!

Keep a Positive Mindset

Even though these were ‘bad news’, you shouldn’t look at them as such. These were some negative aspects to look out for, but they will most definitely not present the entire Jakarta experience. Jakarta is a beautiful place, and you should keep that at the forefront of all your thoughts. Bon voyage!

Author’s bio

Jack Lowell is a freelance blogger working with many different companies, such as Four Winds Saudi Arabia. He prefers topics that concern travel and relocation. Jack is also an animal lover and has three dogs at home.

Images: 

https://pixabay.com/photos/jakarta-indonesia-city-urban-1948146/
https://pixabay.com/photos/people-travel-jakarta-train-4295089/
https://pixabay.com/photos/people-indonesia-jakarta-mrt-4295078/
https://pixabay.com/photos/lamb-lamb-shank-steak-food-meal-3529588/