---
title: "Jakarta vs Johannesburg for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/jakarta-vs-johannesburg
description: "Under balanced weights Johannesburg edges it, 44 to 43, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Jakarta is stronger on safety; Johannesburg on visa ease, climate, quality of life. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Jakarta vs Johannesburg for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Johannesburg edges it, 44 to 43, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Jakarta is stronger on safety; Johannesburg on visa ease, climate, quality of life. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Jakarta | Johannesburg | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 61 | 54 | Jakarta |
| Safety | 50 | 22 | Jakarta |
| Healthcare | 53 | 46 | Jakarta |
| Internet | 46 | 53 | Johannesburg |
| Visa ease | 22 | 46 | Johannesburg |
| Getting there & around | 24 | 17 | Jakarta |
| Climate | 50 | 67 | Johannesburg |
| Air quality | 36 | 32 | Jakarta |
| Quality of life | 45 | 60 | Johannesburg |

## Cost

| Metric | Jakarta | Johannesburg | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,146 | $1,354 | Jakarta |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $550 | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Jakarta | Johannesburg | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 4.1 | 33.8 | Jakarta |
| Political stability (0–100) | 55.5 | 55.4 | Jakarta |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 67 | 74 | Johannesburg |
| Life expectancy | 68.3 yrs | 61.5 yrs | Jakarta |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Jakarta | Johannesburg | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 15.8 Mbps | 22.5 Mbps | Johannesburg |
| Upload | 8.3 Mbps | 9.2 Mbps | Johannesburg |

## Visa

| Metric | Jakarta | Johannesburg | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Visa Rumah Kedua Pekerja Jarak Jauh | none listed | Jakarta |
| Minimum income for the visa | $4,998/mo | no data | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | visa or e-visa required | 90 days | Johannesburg |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | visa or e-visa required | 90 days | Johannesburg |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | visa or e-visa required | 90 days | Johannesburg |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Jakarta | Johannesburg | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 98 | 87 | Jakarta |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 2 | Jakarta |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Jakarta | Johannesburg | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 6 | 8 | Johannesburg |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 33.8 µg/m³ | 35.5 µg/m³ | Jakarta |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Jakarta or Johannesburg?

Jakarta is cheaper: about $1,146 per month versus $1,354 for one person.

### Is Jakarta or Johannesburg safer?

Jakarta scores higher on safety (50 vs 22), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Jakarta or Johannesburg?

Johannesburg: a measured median of 22.5 Mbps versus 15.8 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Jakarta](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/jakarta) · [Johannesburg](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/johannesburg). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages).

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