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View all search resultsDowngrading Indonesia: The price of getting by
As prices climb, families are switching to cheaper food, personal care products and health services, while cutting back on savings and leisure.
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Coffee on the go: Workers buy iced coffee from a mobile vendor near an office building on Jl. M.H. Thamrin in Central Jakarta on Oct. 22, 2026. Mobile coffee stalls offer an affordable caffeine fix, with prices ranging from Rp 5,000 (28 US cents) to Rp 20,000 per cup. (JP/Iqro Rinaldi)
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ntan Putri Dewi, a 33-year-old mother of three in Purworejo, Central Java, never imagined she would face such financial hardship that she would have to sell her belongings to cover daily expenses.
Her family had once lived comfortably, but her husband's snack-distribution business in neighboring Kebumen began to decline in late 2024.
At the time, Intan was pregnant with their third child. Unlike during her first two pregnancies, she could no longer afford regular visits to an obstetrician or buy vitamins and milk supplements. Instead, she relied on free services at the local community health center (Puskesmas) for prenatal checkups, ultrasound scans and vitamins.
She also downgraded her family's national health insurance coverage under BPJS Kesehatan from Class 2, with monthly premiums of Rp 100,000 (US$5.5) per family member, to Class 3, which costs Rp 35,000.
“We used to be able to afford trips out of town, clothes for the children, milk, vitamins and even savings. But 2024 and 2025 were really hard years for us,” she said.
In mid-2025, her husband found a job at a fast-moving consumer goods company. Intan also took a part-time job teaching mathematics at a local school, earning Rp 300,000 a month to supplement the family income. She eventually quit because the pay did not justify the time she spent away from her children.
“Last year, we often had beef and seafood for our meals. This year, we eat more chicken, fish, eggs, tofu and tempeh instead.” — Pratiwi Sari, 40, homemaker
