Looking for American Expats in Indonesia?

Thinking about moving to Indonesia as an American? These pros and cons come from the InterNations Expat Insider 2025 survey, in which thousands of expats around the world share what they like and don't like about life abroad each year. The points below reflect what an American expats in Indonesia wrote in their own words, backed up by survey percentages from all expats living there.

• It's affordable and easy to feel at home. 70% of expats in Indonesia rate the general cost of living positively (vs. 40% globally), 61% rate housing affordability positively, and 90% feel welcome.

• People are warm and friendships come easily. 85% rate locals as friendly and 68% say making local friends is easy, against a global average of 39%.

• The weather and islands are a dream. Tropical warmth and 17,000 islands to explore draw praise, and 90% rate the opportunity to travel positively.

• Most people are genuinely happy there. A relaxed pace and low costs add up, with 82% rating their life abroad positively (vs. 67% globally).

• Healthcare and air quality are real concerns. Just 47% rate healthcare affordability positively, 43% the quality of medical care, and 38% air quality (vs. 63% globally).

• Infrastructure and transport lag. Only 33% rate the availability of public transportation positively (vs. 73% globally), and roads and services can be patchy.

• Environmental issues are visible. Plastic waste and weak environmental policy come up often — just 20% say the government protects the environment.

• Bureaucracy and careers can frustrate. Only 27% find dealing with authorities easy, and 47% say the move improved their career prospects.

For Americans, Indonesia offers warmth, beauty, low costs, and an easy, happy pace of life, especially in places like Bali. The trade-offs are healthcare, air quality, and infrastructure. It suits remote workers and adventurers more than anyone needing top-tier medical care or careers.

Every year, we publish one of the biggest global surveys for expats — Expat Insider — where we ask people living around the world about every aspect of expat life. We’ve rounded up key facts about the typical American expat: what motivated them to move to a new country, what they enjoy about life abroad, as well as what they struggle with the most.

Of course, expat living in Indonesia is not just about shipping your belongings and filing in some bureaucratic papers. Regular socializing with fellow Americans is an essential part of expat life and helps getting accustomed to the Indonesian way of life and mentality. InterNations helps you connect and meet up with other Americans in Indonesia, residing in Jakarta, Medan, Semerang and many other places throughout the country. Just take a look at our group of Americans in Jakarta or Americans in Bali.

• Look up our top quality network to get to know open-minded expats from the United States of America in Indonesia.
• Obtain and share insider tips in our Indonesia Expat Forums – e.g. how to hire a babysitter fluent in your native tongue for your children or where to get stuffed turkey in Medan.
• Search the InterNations Places database for Indonesia to get information on institutions from your home country, including the American embassy.

From the steep mountains and extensive cave systems of Kalimantan to the ricelands, coffee plantations and volcanoes of Java, we’ll help you connect with supportive and friendly American expats in Indonesia.

Moreover, please feel free to attend our regular expat events and activities in Indonesia. Our get-togethers are very diverse and range from a cozy gathering to enjoy the traditional Indonesian nasi goreng, to big expat celebrations with hundreds of participants in Jakarta’s best locations. You can also participate in one of our expat trips to go and see Java's cultural treasures as well as other beautiful landmarks in Indonesia.

Our meet-ups and activities are a great opportunity to mingle with expats from the United States of America and various other countries in a casual setting. Interested? Just sign up and you’ll soon be receiving a cordial Hello from our Americans living in Indonesia!