Food and Drink
- Wine Bars
- The Wine Casa (Nagoya) or The Peak (Vista Hotel)
- Best Food Delivery App
- Gofood (within Gojek app) or GrabFood
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Mie Lendir (Gravy noodles) or Nasi Lemak Batam
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Nature Vegetarian (Nagoya Hill) or De Sampan (Seafood with veg options)
- Best Dessert Spots
- Batam Layer Cake (Lapis Legit) at Diana Layer Cakes
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall and BCS Mall for tech and clothing
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Tokopedia, Shopee, and Lazada
- Grocery Delivery
- HappyFresh (partnered with Lotte Mart) or GrabMart
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Nagoya Entertainment District (NED) and Harbour Bay waterfront bars
- Local Brewery
- Micro-breweries are rare due to regulations; Bintang and Heineken are standard
- Street Food Stalls
- A2 Food Court (Penuin) or Nagoya Food Court
- Popular International Cuisine
- Bella Italia (Harbour Bay) or Ichiban Sushi (Grand Batam Mall)
Essentials
- City
- Batam, Riau Islands, Indonesia
- Population
- Approx. 1.3 million
- Internet Speed
- Avg. 35-60 Mbps; fiber optic available in major malls and central business districts
- Currency & Banking
- Indonesian Rupiah (IDR); 1 USD ≈ 15,700 IDR, 1 EUR ≈ 17,200 IDR
- Tap Water
- Not drinkable; use bottled water like Aqua (approx. 6,000 IDR for 1.5L)
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type C and Type F sockets (European style)
- SIM Card
- Telkomsel (best coverage) or XL Axiata; 50,000 - 150,000 IDR for 10-30GB
- Banking for Expats
- BCA, Mandiri, and CIMB Niaga; Wise and Revolut work at most ATMs
- Accommodation
- Apartment rentals at Nagoya Mansion or One Residence; 5,000,000 - 12,000,000 IDR/month
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, QRIS (local QR payment) and cards accepted at malls; cash needed for local markets
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb, Booking.com, and Traveloka (highly popular in Indonesia)
- Budget Accommodation
- Zest Hotel Harbour Bay (approx. 400,000 IDR/night)
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Nagoya (shopping/dining) or Harbour Bay (ferry access and waterfront)
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Batam Centre (government hub, infrastructure) or Sukajadi (upscale residential)
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- Ruang Kreasi at Batam Centre or Workwell (approx. 100,000 IDR/day)
- Best Cafe for Work
- Anchor Cafe & Roastery (Dermaga Culinary Paradise) or Excelso (Grand Batam Mall)
- Networking Events
- Nongsa Digital Park meetups and events at the Batam Chamber of Commerce (KADIN)
- Social Events for Expats
- Batam Expat FB Group meetups often held at The BCC Hotel or Monkey Bar
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Grab and Gojek (Essential for transport and food delivery)
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Local rentals near Nagoya; approx. 150,000 IDR/day (mostly manual arrangements)
- Best Beach Nearby
- Nongsa Beach (30 mins from city center) or Viovio Beach in Galang
- Top Regional Airline
- Lion Air, Citilink, and Batik Air (Hang Nadim Airport - BTH)
- Top International Airline
- Singapore Airlines (via ferry to Singapore Changi) or Garuda Indonesia
- Highway Access
- Main arteries include Jl. Sudirman and the Barelang Bridge road system
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- No trains; Batam Centre Ferry Terminal is the primary international transit hub
- Public Transport Passes
- Trans Batam Bus (system uses e-money cards like BRIZZI/e-Money; 4,000 IDR/trip)
- Regional Travel
- Fast ferry to Singapore (Sindo Ferry/Batam Fast) approx. $70-80 SGD round trip
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- Awal Bros Hospital (Jl. Gajah Mada) or RS Pondok Indah Batam
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Kava Yoga Batam (Batam Centre) or Eska Wellness Spa & Massage
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Celebrity Fitness at Nagoya Hill Mall (approx. 500,000 IDR/month)
- Laundry Services
- Local 'Kiloan' laundry shops; approx. 8,000 - 15,000 IDR per kg
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Barelang Bridge (iconic chain of 6 bridges connecting islands)
- Museums & Art Venues
- Museum Raja Ali Haji (Batam Centre)
- Historical Sites
- Ocarina Park and the old Japanese refugee camp on Galang Island
- Religious Sites
- Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya Monastery (one of SE Asia's largest)
- Annual Events
- Batam International Culture Carnival (usually December)
- Cultural Districts
- Batam Centre (Civic district) and Nongsa (Resort district)
- Theater Venues
- CGV Cinemas Grand Batam Mall (modern English-language films)
- Local Markets
- Pasar Penuin (Traditional morning wet market)
- Music Scene
- Live bands at Nomad Bar or various venues in Harbour Bay
- Street Art
- Localized murals in the Nagoya and Batam Centre areas
- Cooking Classes
- Adiwana Jelita Sejuba or resort-based private classes in Nongsa
- Art Galleries
- Kayu Putih Art Gallery near Nongsa
- Historic Buildings
- Batam City Hall and the Great Mosque of Batam (Masjid Raya)
- Local Heritage
- Malay Cultural influence and Riau Archipelago history
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Ranoh Island (day trips for snorkeling and white sand)
- National Parks Nearby
- Sembulang forest areas (limited infrastructure)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Sukajadi Golf Course peripheral roads and Batam Centre Coastline
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Welcome To Batam Hill (Bukit 'Welcome To Batam')
- Birdwatching Locations
- Mangrove forests around Nongsa and Galang
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Private beaches in Galang or Nongsa (with permission)
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- JNE, J&T Express, and Pos Indonesia
- Tech Repair Services
- Nagoya Hill Mall 3rd Floor (the tech/mobile hub)
- Table Tennis Spots
- Community halls (GOR) in local housing complexes like Sukajadi
- Language Classes
- LIA Batam for Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) courses
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Batam Public Library (Perpustakaan Umum Kota Batam)
- Community Centers
- Mega Wisata Ocarina (family and community events)
- Gaming Lounges
- Whiz iCafe or various internet cafes in Nagoya
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- None (Gambling is illegal in Indonesia)
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 18,000,000 IDR per m² (e.g., 30 m² = 540M IDR / $34,500)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 12,000,000 IDR per m² (e.g., 30 m² = 360M IDR / $23,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 16,500,000 IDR per m² (e.g., 50 m² = 825M IDR / $52,500)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 11,000,000 IDR per m² (e.g., 50 m² = 550M IDR / $35,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 15,000,000 IDR per m² (e.g., 80 m² = 1.2B IDR / $76,500)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 9,500,000 IDR per m² (e.g., 80 m² = 760M IDR / $48,500)
- Corporate Tax
- Standard rate 22%
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 10% for residents, 20% for non-residents (unless tax treaty applies)
- Tax System
- Worldwide income basis for residents (>183 days/year)
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 35% (for income over 5 billion IDR)
- VAT
- 11% (Standard PPN)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, Indonesian tax law includes CFC anti-avoidance measures
- Property Tax
- PBB (Land and Building Tax); approx. 0.1% - 0.2% of assessed value annually
- Property Transaction Tax
- BPHTB (5% for buyer) and PPh (2.5% for seller)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- E33G Remote Worker Visa (KITAS) allows for extended stay under specific guidelines