Choosing A Place/Area to Stay in Jakarta

Are you relocating to Jakarta? So you are looking for a place to stay in Jakarta? And perhaps feeling really perplexed on which area would be the best for you. Don't worry, you are not alone.

When we were moving to Jakarta, one of the biggest decisions G and I got to make - was to mutually agree on which area to stay. The popular places where expats live in Jakarta are CBD/Sudirman area, Menteng, Kuningan, Senayan and South Jakarta- Kemang/Cilandak/Pondok Indah area.

G has always love to live next to work(right in the city) so that he could just walk to work and not be affected by traffic or transportation issues; while I hate living next to the offices/bustling areas and prefer a quiet laid-back area. We are polar opposites when it comes to this so it is always a battle when we choose a place together. So I thought I'd try to list down some pros and cons which may help you to better weigh your choices :)

PROS AND CONS OF EACH AREA

South Jakarta- Kemang Area/Cilandak/Pondok Indah(what seems like expatriate families' top choice)

My first choice was Kemang where there is a huge community of family expats, restaurants, cafes, schools and almost all the amenities you would need all nearby. And probably I am also swayed by so many expat wives I met who raved bout living in Kemang. If you had been in Singapore, it would be like Holland Village/Katong area where it is not far away from town but still considered a prime area. 

The top advantages of this area: Near all the international schools (BIS, JIS, etc), near most of the expat communities and clubs (church, associations like American Women/ Austrailian Women, etc), lots of restaurants/cafes to choose from

Disadvantages of this area: Long travelling time out of the area during peak hours or rainy days as there's a limited number of roads leading there, some areas are flood prone during rainy seasons.

CBD/Sudirman Rd

G wanted to live next to work, like literally! Like the a building away? Sudirman is a long stretch so depending on your spouse/your office, the housing options varies. For example, our options would be apartments like The Capitol, Residence 8 which are walking distance from Pacific Place/BEG building where G works.  Some slightly further options (non walkable but only 5 minutes drive) would be Senopati or Setiabudi area.

Whereas if your spouse/your office is nearer to Thamrim/Grand Indonesia, there are some options like Kempinski Serviced Apartment which are popular among expats.

The top advantages of this area: You get home a lot faster than the rest! Perhaps an hour to two more of quality time with your family or yourself. My friend and her hubby decided to do just that and indeed she gets to see her hubby more while making some sacrifices herself (like she being stuck in traffic instead).

Disadvantages of this area: A nightmare during certain peak periods, rainy days and Friday evenings. You are literally living amongst traffic. Longer travelling time to the schools if you have kids and also to your friends if you are a stay-home-mom. You will discover that a lot of your friends live around Kemang area, well...at least most of mine do!

Kuningan Area

We stayed here during our first month in Jakarta. It is a pretty lovely area if you love malls and the nightlife as there's lots of malls around( Kuningan City, Casablanca, Lotte World,etc) , pubs and clubs. There's also a number of choices for apartment accommodation. It is also not too far from Sudirman although some distance towards South Jakarta. If the office is located within Kuningan, then it is definitely worth considering to live here.

The top advantages of this area: Near amenities and restaurants. More choices for people who like apartment/city living. There's Oakwood Serviced Apartment (which we stayed and loved), Ritz Carlton Serviced Apartment, Ascott Somerset Serviced Apartment, and more.

Disadvantages of this area: Traffic outside of Mega Kuningan and the road leading to Kuningan can be a nightmare on Fridays and rainy days. Possibly even longer travelling time to schools/South Jakarta than living at Sudirman!

Senayan Area

We chanced upon this area after my Indonesian friend recommended me to consider. She and her family had been living in this area for the past decade and she loves it. Senayan is popular amongst Japanese and Korean expats for some reason. After weighing all options, this is the unexpected area we settled for in the end.

The top advantages of this area: In between all the places we would often travel to! Traffic to and from Sudirman is surprisingly quite alright, traffic and distance to Kemang area when I visit my friends are okay too. It takes me 30mins to Kemang and 20mins to Blok M; G takes 15minutes to work (non-peak) and 45 minutues (peak).  It is near to two big malls Plaza Senayan and Senayan City which has the amenities and some restaurant options like Union, Din Tai Fung, Monolog.

Disadvantages of this area: Not as many interesting restaurant/nightlife options as all the other areas. Not as much diverse expat groups/communitiy in this area. If you are Japanese/Korean, this will be a great area for you though! The Japanese/Korean housewives gather every afternoon in their groups and have picnics.

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I haven't really explored Menteng area or met anyone there so if you happen to live there or know the area well, do drop me a note or contribute details via comments. And for those who have more things to add to my list of pros and cons, do also feel free to comment!