The short answer is yes – Jakarta is a very safe place for expat and internationally minded families.

Below we go through five of the most common worries.

Risk In brief
1. Air pollution Worst June to August
2. Traffic accidents Most victims are motorbike riders
3. Dengue Peaks March to May
4. Flooding Rainy season, November to March. Probably not a problem where you live
5. Crime Seldom, and seldom violent

1. Air pollution

Jakarta's air averaged an AQI of about 98 in 2025, based on IQAir's figures. That's the top of the "Moderate" band, and almost seven times the level of fine particles the WHO recommends for long-term health.

Jakarta's air in 2025 was its cleanest in seven years Yearly average, US AQI. Lower is better.
Source IQAir publishes yearly PM2.5 concentrations; converted here to the US AQI that air-quality apps show, using US EPA breakpoints. IQAir World Air Quality Reports 2019–2025; WHO Air Quality Guidelines (2021).

The worst time of the year is usually June, July and August. From September the rain starts to clear the air.

Some quick tips to help get on top of it:

  • Put a HEPA air purifier in each bedroom
  • Get an air-quality app, such as IQAir or Nafas, so you can monitor it
  • In the car, set the AC to "recirculate"

2. Traffic accidents

With three crashes in four involving at least one motorbike, the risk for those travelling by car is much lower than the raw accident statistics suggest.

Fatality rates compared Road deaths per 100,000 people, latest WHO estimate.
Source Indonesia's estimate is for 2019. Countries chosen as a mix of regional neighbours and common home countries for Jakarta families. World Health Organization road traffic death estimates, latest year available (2019–2023).

3. Dengue

Dengue is spread by a mosquito that bites in the daytime. For most children it feels like a bad flu and passes within a week.

The risk is lower in a managed apartment building or a well-kept house, where the mosquito has fewer places to breed.

In South Jakarta, about 1 in 1,600 residents had a recorded case in 2025, with most of those recorded in more crowded and less prosperous areas.

If your child has a high fever
When What to do
Straight away See a doctor and ask for a dengue blood test. Give paracetamol, not ibuprofen or aspirin
As the fever drops Most children are on the mend. Go back to the doctor if there is stomach pain, repeated vomiting or bleeding gums
Source US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dengue symptoms and treatment; World Health Organization dengue fact sheet.

4. Flooding

Flooding in Jakarta is hyper-local and probably won't be a problem where you live.

For most families the biggest impact from floods will be heavier traffic. When looking at places to live, it's worth checking what the flood situation is around that area.

Flooding in popular residential areas
Area In heavy rain
SCBD and Sudirman Towers unaffected. Some roads and underpasses waterlog
Pondok Indah Homes mostly dry. The main arterial road waterlogs
Menteng Mostly dry. Occasional water on a few streets
Cipete and Cilandak Mostly dry. A few streets near the Krukut river flood
Kemang Low streets near the Krukut river flood most years
Source BPBD DKI Jakarta flood reports, 2024–2026, via Kompas TV, Metro TV and Tempo.

5. Crime

Violent crime is rare in Jakarta. Indonesia's murder rate is lower than the UK or Australia, and a fraction of the United States'.

Murder rates compared Intentional homicides per 100,000 people a year.

0.4

Indonesia

0.9

United Kingdom and Australia

5.8

United States

Source UK figure is for England and Wales. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), intentional homicide data, 2023–2024.

Petty theft does happen occasionally. It's more common in crowded areas, such as around public transport and in tourist areas, than in the leafy residential, office and retail areas.

Protests and natural disasters

In practice neither of these is more than an occasional inconvenience.

Protests are contained to a few very specific places, mostly around the parliament building in Senayan and the presidential palace near Monas. On the day of a large protest, we stay away from those areas. The rest of the city tends to carry on as normal.

Similarly, earthquakes and volcanoes tend to make little practical difference to life in Jakarta. The most likely effect is a disrupted holiday – an eruption elsewhere in Indonesia can ground flights, to Bali for example, for a few days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Jakarta safe at night?

Yes. Malls, restaurants and residential areas such as SCBD, Senopati, Kemang and Pondok Indah stay busy into the evening. Late at night, take a car or a ride-hailing car rather than walking.

Is it safe to walk around Jakarta?

Yes, as far as crime goes. The harder part is the pavements, which are patchy, and crossing busy roads. Walking is easiest within residential estates, malls and the SCBD area.

Is Jakarta safe for tourists?

Yes. Take the usual care with phones and bags in crowded places such as the old town (Kota Tua) and the big markets.

What is the crime rate in Jakarta?

Low for violent crime. Indonesia records about 0.4 murders per 100,000 people a year, according to the UN, against about 0.9 in the UK and 5.8 in the United States.

Sources