Navigating the Challenges: 3 Months of Expatriate Life in Indonesia – Insights and Tips

Today, Indonesia is celebrating another holiday, and I’m taking the opportunity to relax and reflect on my experiences here. After all, the perspective from a short business trip and living here long-term are quite different [laugh-cry emoji].

[one emoji] When I first came for a business trip last year, I was struck by the sheer number of people and the vibrant energy of the companies and entrepreneurs [wow emoji]. Now that I’m living here, I still see the bustling crowds, but some local behaviors can be quite surprising [confused emoji]. The so-called business competition often seems to revolve around making random reports, which is a bit perplexing [confused emoji].

[two emoji] Some merchants have stopped accepting cash [stunned emoji], preferring QRIS (Indonesia’s unified QR code) [embarrassed emoji]. The push towards cashless payments is really noticeable [laugh-cry emoji], though Alipay is surprisingly rare [disappointed emoji]. However, I’ve heard that Alipay+ is on its way.

[three emoji] There’s a stark contrast between the consumption levels in Jakarta and the local wage levels. It feels like the spending power is on par with a first-tier city in China, but the basic salary is more like that of an 18th-tier city [embarrassed emoji]. I often wonder how ordinary locals manage their finances, if they have their own unique consumption system [embarrassed emoji].

Of course, the wealthy are very well-off [laugh-cry emoji]. So, for entrepreneurs, should they target the lower market or the middle class?

[four emoji] New energy is one of the hottest topics in Indonesia, especially with BYD and Yeade announcing plans to set up factories here. However, there are many controversies. The charging infrastructure is underdeveloped, the prices of four-wheeled and two-wheeled electric vehicles are high, and local gasoline is cheap (most people use 90 octane gasoline at 10,000 Rp/L, which is about 4.

55 RMB/L), and gas stations are ubiquitous, even small shops on the street sell gasoline. Relying solely on car purchase subsidies is challenging, and the subsidies are often delayed [goodbye emoji].

[five emoji] TikTok e-commerce remains incredibly popular in Indonesia. Since merging with the local group GOTO, it hasn’t caused much trouble, and everyone is quietly making a fortune [smirk emoji]. TikTok has had a bumpy journey, with ups and downs in Southeast Asia last year, and now facing challenges in the US [disappointed emoji].

Just yesterday, it was announced that there will be a major layoff this week [embarrassed emoji], and the global user operations team will be affected [stunned emoji].

[six emoji] When it comes to Chinese cuisine, it’s a no-brainer. In a previous post, a fellow shared a photo showing that the three big names in Jakarta—Tianlala, Cottie Coffee, and Mixue—are all lined up next to each other, which is hilariously ironic [laugh-cry emoji]. It feels like you’ve traveled abroad but never really left home [laugh-cry emoji].

The northern part of Jakarta is practically a massive Chinatown. I heard that the local government intentionally designed it this way, and even local drivers joke: “Locals go to PIK to work, but they don’t usually live there” [laugh-cry emoji].

[seven emoji] The delivery fees in Indonesia are outrageously high [stunned emoji]. Every time I crave a coffee, I’m hit with a barrage of extra costs: delivery fees, taxes, order fees, merchant packaging fees, and even rider parking fees, which can add up to nearly 10 RMB—almost as much as the coffee itself [disappointed emoji].

It’s enough to make you reconsider your craving [disappointed emoji]. And if you take a ride to a slightly farther place in the city, you’ll end up on the highway, where they tack on an additional highway fee [sleeping emoji]. Sure, you can avoid the highway, but then you’re in for a long, winding detour [facepalm emoji].

There are a few more points I want to share, so I’ll save them for the next post [doge emoji].