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Minimum Wage in Indonesia: How to Calculate and Hire Compliantly
Indonesia

Minimum Wage in Indonesia: How to Calculate and Hire Compliantly

What employers need to know about minimum wage rules in Indonesia. UMP vs UMK rules, salary calculation formulas, employer costs, and compliance strategies.

Amira Jeffrey

Written by

Amira Jeffrey

Category

Indonesia

Published

August 27, 2026

Reading time

7 min read

Unlike countries with a single national minimum wage, Indonesia sets wage floors regionally. Each of the 38 provincial governors sets a rate for their province, and cities and regencies can set higher rates within it.

This structure means the minimum wage reflects local living costs and economic conditions. It also means the figure you owe depends on where your employee works rather than where your office is.

This guide covers how the wage tiers fit together, the 2026 minimum wage rates, and calculations.

The Regional Minimum Wage System in Indonesia

Indonesia structures its statutory minimum wage system into three distinct layers, with each tier offering a more localized pay threshold than the last. A province establishes the baseline floor, while individual cities or regencies set localized rates above that baseline. In addition, specialized industrial sectors can establish their own higher regional rates.

  • Upah Minimum Provinsi (UMP): The baseline minimum wage set by the Provincial Governor for an entire province. It acts as the statutory floor for every city and regency located within that provincial jurisdiction.
  • Upah Minimum Kabupaten/Kota (UMK): A localized minimum wage established for a specific regency (kabupaten) or city (kota). When a city establishes a local UMK, that figure replaces the provincial UMP for employees working in that municipality. By law, a UMK must equal or exceed the provincial UMP floor.
  • Upah Minimum Sektoral (UMS): Sector-specific minimum wages established by provincial Governments for key sectors in their jurisdiction, such as mining or automotive manufacturing. Where an active UMS rate exists, it sits higher than the standard UMK or UMP baseline.

These three wage tiers follow a strict order of priority. A sectoral rate (UMS) outranks a city rate (UMK), while a city rate outranks the provincial rate (UMP). You must always pay the highest rate that applies to your employee's location and industry sector

2026 Minimum Wage in Indonesia

The following table outlines the current provincial minimum wage, known as the Upah Minimum Provinsi or UMP, for all 38 provinces in Indonesia. 

The rates took effect on 1 January 2026 under Government Regulation No. 49 of 2025 (GR 49/2025), which updated Indonesia’s wage-setting rules. 

ProvinceCurrent UMP, IDR per monthApprox. USD*
AcehIDR 3,932,554$222
North SumatraIDR 3,228,949$182
West SumatraIDR 3,182,955$180
RiauIDR 3,780,495$213
JambiIDR 3,471,497$196
South SumatraIDR 3,942,963$223
BengkuluIDR 2,827,250$160
LampungIDR 3,047,734$172
Bangka Belitung IslandsIDR 4,035,000$228
Riau IslandsIDR 3,879,520$219
DKI JakartaIDR 5,729,876$323
West JavaIDR 2,317,601$131
Central JavaIDR 2,327,386$131
DI YogyakartaIDR 2,417,495$136
East JavaIDR 2,446,880$138
BantenIDR 3,100,881$175
BaliIDR 3,207,459$181
West Nusa TenggaraIDR 2,602,861$147
East Nusa TenggaraIDR 2,455,345$139
West KalimantanIDR 3,054,552$172
Central KalimantanIDR 3,686,138$208
South KalimantanIDR 3,725,000$210
East KalimantanIDR 3,762,431$212
North KalimantanIDR 3,775,243$213
North SulawesiIDR 4,002,630$226
Central SulawesiIDR 3,179,565$179
South SulawesiIDR 3,921,088$221
Southeast SulawesiIDR 3,306,496$187
GorontaloIDR 3,405,144$192
West SulawesiIDR 3,315,934$187
MalukuIDR 3,334,490$188
North MalukuIDR 3,510,240$198
PapuaIDR 4,436,283$250
Central PapuaIDR 4,285,848$242
Highland PapuaIDR 4,508,714$254
South PapuaIDR 4,508,100$254
West PapuaIDR 3,841,000$217
Southwest PapuaIDR 3,766,000$213

As explained earlier, your final minimum wage obligation may be higher than the UMP shown above. Before you make an offer, check whether the employee will work in a city or regency with its own UMK. You should also check whether the role falls within an industry covered by a higher provincial or local sectoral minimum wage, known as UMSP or UMSK.

The following examples demonstrates why this extra check especially matters.

LocationCurrent Provincial UMPCurrent UMKExample of Higher Sectoral Rate (UMS)
Bekasi City, West JavaIDR 2,317,601IDR 5,999,443Automotive manufacturing UMSK: IDR 6,028,033
Bekasi Regency, West JavaIDR 2,317,601IDR 5,938,885Automotive manufacturing UMSK: IDR 5,941,759
Tangerang City, BantenIDR 3,100,881IDR 5,399,406Sector I UMSK: IDR 5,777,364

If you hire in Bekasi City, for instance, you should not use West Java’s UMP of IDR 2,317,601. You must use the city UMK of IDR 5,999,443. And if your business operates in the designated sectors like automotive manufacturing, the applicable UMSK rises further to IDR 6,028,033. 

Who Does Minimum Wage Apply to in Indonesia?

The minimum wage covers just about everyone you put on a local employment contract. That includes permanent staff (PKWTT), fixed-term (PKWT) staff, part-time workers, and foreign employees on a valid work permit. It also applies during probation, which means you cannot use a reduced training rate in the first few months.

Under Article 24 of GR 36/2021, as amended, the minimum wage is the statutory floor for employees with less than one year of service. Once they complete the 12 months, you must transition them to a formal Wage Structure and Scale (Struktur dan Skala Upah / SUSU) under Articles 21 and 24(2) of GR 36/2021 and Minister of Manpower Regulation No. 1 of 2017.

This framework sets out salary ranges and progression by role, tenure, competence, and performance. It helps ensure that pay develops beyond the applicable minimum wage as your employees gain experience and responsibility.

Special rules for Casual Daily Workers:

Casual daily work agreements (Perjanjian Kerja Harian Lepas) are intended for workers engaged for fewer than 21 days in a month. Under Article 10 of GR 35/2021, the arrangement converts to an indefinite-term employment agreement (PKWTT) if the worker performs 21 days or more of work per month for 3 consecutive months. You must then provide full monthly minimum wage coverage, statutory health benefits, and annual holiday allowances.

Our local advisors can help you plan a transparent pay scale that ensures salary increases move naturally above the statutory minimum floor as your team grows.

Minimum Wage vs Average Market Salaries in Indonesia

The minimum wage we covered earlier is a legal floor. It is most relevant when you hire factory workers and manual labor positions. In those operational roles, the local UMP or UMK rate is typically what candidates expect to earn.

With skilled workers, however, minimum wage acts as more of a baseline that shows you where the market starts. Software developers, digital marketers, and accountants expect pay well above the legal floor, so you should set these offers against market rates instead.

The table below lays out average salary ranges for popular remote roles in Indonesia, to help you gauge what to expect.

RoleEntry-levelMid-levelSenior
Customer support representative$200 to $300$300 to $600$600 to $900
Content writer$250 to $400$400 to $800$800 to $1,400
Executive assistant$300 to $450$450 to $900$900 to $1,500
Bookkeeper or accountant$300 to $400$400 to $900$900 to $1,500
Graphic designer$300 to $500$500 to $1,000$1,000 to $1,800
Digital marketing manager$350 to $600$600 to $1,300$1,300 to $2,200
Software developer$500 to $900$900 to $2,200$2,200 to $4,000

Note that these ranges shift with skill, city, and how specialized the role is. Even so, Indonesian salaries stay well below Western markets even at the senior end, which is a key reason companies hire here in the first place.

For a full breakdown of salary ranges by role, city, and seniority, refer to our Indonesia average salary guide. You can also speak with our local advisors for a benchmark on the specific role you are hiring.

How Minimum Wage is Calculated in Indonesia

Indonesia reviews and adjusts minimum wage rates each year. Understanding the statutory formula helps you anticipate labor costs and budget for annual salary adjustments before the new rates take effect.

GR 49/2025 now governs the annual adjustment process. It amended GR 36/2021 on wages and replaced key provisions introduced under GR No. 51 of 2023. It also restored provincial and city or regency sectoral minimum wages (UMS).

To set the current minimum wage, governors used the following formula:

2026 Minimum Wage=2025 Minimum Wage+[Inflation+(Economic Growth×α)]

The formula uses three inputs:

  • Inflation: The annual change in the consumer price index, measured from September of the previous year to September of the current year.
  • Economic growth: The relevant regional economic growth rate. The government uses provincial economic-growth data for UMP calculations and city or regency data for UMK calculations.
  • Alpha (𝜶): A coefficient that reflects labour’s contribution to economic growth. Regional wage councils recommend the alpha value within the legal range of 0.50 to 0.90.

For example, Jakarta applied an alpha value of 0.75 for its 2026 UMP calculation. Combined with the relevant inflation and economic-growth data, this produced a 6.17% increase, raising Jakarta’s UMP from IDR 5,396,761 in 2025 to IDR 5,729,876 in 2026.

Every year, local authorities follow a strict timetable:

  • By November 21: Governors officially announce the updated UMP for the upcoming calendar year.
  • By November 30: Governors approve and announce the specific UMK figures for regencies and cities.
  • January 1: All newly announced minimum wage rates take effect nationwide.

For the full employer cost, including mandatory contributions and tax obligations, run your proposed salary through our free Indonesia Salary Calculator.

Minimum Wage Components and Salary Structuring in Indonesia

Once you know the minimum wage figure for your employee's location, you need to understand how monthly earnings are broken down. GR No. 36 of 2021 recognizes four ways to structure a wage in Indonesia:

  1. Basic Salary Only: 100% of monthly earnings consist of a fixed basic salary with no additional allowances or variable stipends.
  2. Basic Salary + Fixed Allowances: Base salary combined with regular monthly stipends that stay identical every month regardless of attendance. Includes fixed meal allowances, position allowances, or housing stipends.
  3. Basic Salary + Non-Fixed Allowances: Base salary combined exclusively with variable payouts that shift based on daily attendance or results. For example, daily shift allowances, project milestone bonuses, or performance incentives.
  4. Basic Salary + Fixed Allowances + Non-Fixed Allowances: Combines with regular monthly stipends and variable payouts that fluctuate based on performance or attendance.

Mandatory Threshold for Fixed Allowances:

When your compensation package includes fixed allowances, Indonesian labor law requires that your Basic Salary makes up at least 75% of the total base pay. It must follow the formula, Basic Salary ≥ 75% of (Basic Salary + Fixed Allowances). 

Fixed allowances cannot exceed 25% of the combined base compensation package. This ensures that an employee's minimum wage remains protected, as basic salary forms the mandatory foundation for calculating overtime rates and statutory holiday payouts. Variable stipends like sales commissions are exempt from this 25% allowance cap.

Working Hours and Overtime Calculations

Standard working hours in Indonesia are capped at 40 hours per week. You can run it for 8 hours a day over 5 days, or 7 hours a day over 6 days. 

If your employees exceed these hours, overtime rules apply. Overtime pay must be calculated using statutory hourly multiplier rates based on the worker's basic monthly salary formula (1÷173MonthlySalary). The multiplier depends on when the extra hours fall:

Overtime typeRate
Working day, 1st hour1.5x hourly rate
Working day, each hour after2x hourly rate
Rest day or public holiday, hours 1-82x hourly rate
Rest day or public holiday, hour 93x hourly rate
Rest day or public holiday, hours 10-114x hourly rate

Note: Managers and executives are an exception. Staff with decision-making authority don’t receive mandatory overtime, provided their contract states this clearly.

Mandatory Contributions (BPJS) and Benefits

On top of base pay and overtime, two costs apply to every employee by law: social security contributions (BPJS) and the annual religious bonus (THR).

BPJS is Indonesia's state social security system. It bundles five programs: health cover, work accident, death, old-age savings, and pension. Both you and the employee share the cost, with the employer share adding roughly 10 to 12% on top of gross salary. 

On the other hand, the THR (Tunjangan Hari Raya) is a bonus of one month's pay, due once a year at least 7 days before the employee's main religious holiday. Staff with under a year of service receive a prorated share. Our guide to employee benefits in Indonesia covers how it fits alongside other statutory benefits.

Hiring tip:

Employers often layer voluntary benefits like private health insurance, bonuses, or allowances on top of base pay to make an offer competitive without inflating the salary itself. It is an especially useful lever when strong candidates expect more than the base figure alone.

How to Hire in Indonesia Compliantly Without Setting Up a Local Entity

Hiring in Indonesia traditionally means setting up a foreign-owned company known as a PT PMA (Perseroan Terbatas Penanaman Modal Asing). While this route gives you a local employing entity, it requires significant upfront commitments if you only need to hire a small number of employees. You’ll need at least IDR 2.5 billion (~USD 150,000) in paid-up capital, and a total investment plan of IDR 10 billion (~USD 600,000). On top of sector licensing and local approvals, it may take months until you can onboard your first hire.  

RecruitGo offers a faster route as your Employer of Record (EOR) in Indonesia. We employ your team under our local entity, handling the full cycle of HR and tax compliance, while you retain day-to-day management of their work.

If you already have a local entity, you can outsource your payroll and tax compliance to our local experts. Our recruitment services in Indonesia can also source and screen local candidates, whether that's a team of specialist hires or an entire production line.

Book a free consultation via the form below to plan your needs with our local advisors.

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Amira Jeffrey

About the Author

Amira Jeffrey

Amira Jeffrey is a contributor at RecruitGo, covering topics related to global employment, HR compliance, and international hiring strategies.

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