Jakarta

Updated March 17, 2020 Updated March 17, 2020

QS Best Student Cities ranking: 109^th

Jakarta is a major metropolitan city, the capital of Indonesia, and the largest city in Southeast Asia. Having gone through quite a few name changes in the past, Jakarta is now nicknamed ‘The Big Durian’, after the city’s native fruit, and is seen as Indonesia’s equivalent to ‘The Big Apple’ in the US.

Jakarta is new to the QS Best Student Cities ranking this year, coming in at 109^th place. The city earned its best score for the affordability indicator, ranking 19^th globally. This is due to the relatively low tuition fees of US$3,100, and a cost of living which is low in comparison to other major cities, even though it’s relatively high compared to the rest of Indonesia.

Given its status as the economic, cultural and political center of Indonesia, it’s unsurprising Jakarta attracts masses of people, boasting a population of over 30 million, with many others commuting in during the day for work.

This bustling metropolis is perfect for students who want to experience a diverse culture, from food and languages to local traditions and customs. Those interested in learning more about the traditional culture should stop by Setu Babakan in South Jakarta and get to know the story of Betawi culture (the native ethnic group of Jakarta), drink the local beverage bir pletok, try the traditional dances of the area or have a bite of kerak telor (a spicy omelette dish).

Jakarta is also home to three world class universities that are ranked in the QS World University Rankings®. These are the University of Indonesia, Bogor Agricultural University and Bina Nusantara University (BINUS). As well as being the oldest state-run university in Indonesia, with more than 160 years of education under its belt, the University of Indonesia is also both Jakarta’s and Indonesia’s top university, ranked in 296^th place. The university’s mission is to become a world-class research university and to provide quality education that is easily accessible to all.

Have you studied in Jakarta? Let us know your thoughts.

Internationally ranked universities in Jakarta

University of Indonesia, Bogor Agricultural University, Bina Nusantara University (BINUS)

More about Jakarta

Number of universities ranked by QS	3
Highest-ranked institution	University of Indonesia (ranked 296^th)
Population	30,214,000
Average international fees (at ranked unis)	US$3,100
Desirability rank	114^th
Employer Activity rank	128^th
Affordability rank	13^th
Student View rank	128^th

To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.

This article was originally published in July 2019 . It was last updated in March 2020

Want more content like this Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.

See the full QS Best Student Cities 2019

Related Categories:

student cities

study abroad

Asia

Written by

Chloe Lane

A Content Writer for TopUniversities.com, Chloe has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Reading and grew up in Leicestershire, UK. She enjoys writing articles about a wide range of topics for a student audience.