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ColumnKitchens in Jakarta, Indonesia: How do they differ by SEC (socioeconomic class)?
Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is experiencing remarkable economic growth and population expansion. The standard of living varies greatly by socioeconomic class (SEC), and even within the same city of Jakarta, the lifestyle differs greatly from SEC to SEC. This article focuses on “kitchens and food” and examines the differences in kitchen environments and eating habits between the upper SEC and lower SEC in Jakarta, based on actual photos from INTAGE's Consumer Life Panorama (CLP), a visual database of people living overseas.
*For the purpose of this column, socioeconomic class (SEC) is defined in terms of monthly household expenditures as follows
SEC A: IDR 6,000,000 and above
SEC B: IDR 4,000,001~6,000,000
SEC C: IDR 2,500,001~4,000,000
SEC D: IDR 1,750,000~2,500,000
In overseas countries (especially in emerging countries such as Asia), the difference in standard of living by SEC is much larger than in developed countries, and this is one of the most important criteria for target setting in marketing. We hope this report will be helpful in visualizing the kind of living environment in which the target class of consumers actually live.
What dishes do Indonesian families eat?
To begin with, what kind of food is eaten in Indonesia?
The following are the results of a survey of each socioeconomic class (SEC) on the types of food they usually cook for themselves. Indonesian cuisine is the main cuisine, but Chinese, Western, and Japanese dishes are also cooked. In particular, the higher SEC tended to cook more foreign dishes. (One of the reasons for this may be that the majority of the Indonesian SEC population is of Chinese descent.)
Source: Intage Global Viewer (2024)
Kitchen Situation in Indonesia
First, let us look at the kitchens of the upper SEC tiers (Classes A and B).
First, let us look at microwave ovens, which most households in Japan probably own, but only about half of the top SEC households own a microwave oven.
Among the top SEC households that own microwave ovens, many of them own relatively new, multifunctional-looking microwave ovens.
Source: Intage Consumer Life Panorama
A microwave oven owned by an upper SEC class in Jakarta.
This model has a wide range of functions with various buttons and menus.
In Jakarta in particular, in addition to the abundance of inexpensive food stalls and eateries, food delivery services have also become widespread in recent years. Since hot food can be easily taken each time it is served, the penetration rate of microwave ovens is considered low.
Another factor is the relatively low diffusion of frozen foods, even though the need for such foods has been rapidly increasing since the Corona disaster. The geographical characteristics of archipelagic countries make it difficult to transport frozen foods. Therefore, it is easy to imagine that frozen foods, which are simply heated in a microwave oven and eaten, have not penetrated that far.
Next, let's look at the inside of refrigerators.
Although the need for reheating is low, it does not mean that there are few refrigerators owned that can store food. In fact, all households in the top SEC tier own a refrigerator.
The contents of the refrigerator typically include condiments, vegetables, and fruits. Some households that owned microwave ovens were found to store pre-cooked food in Tupperware.
Source: Intage Consumer Life Panorama
Inside the refrigerator of an upper SEC household in Jakarta.
Food in Tupperware can be seen in a household with a microwave oven.
In addition, more than half of the top SEC group owned a mixer/juicer.
Since Indonesian cuisine uses a lot of spices, mixers are used to make “sambal (chili-based sauce)” and other seasonings for blending. In addition, many households use juicers to make fresh juice at home, as tropical fruits can be easily consumed and health consciousness has increased in recent years. In addition, it is also used to blend ginger, turmeric, honey, and other ingredients to make “jamu,” a traditional beverage taken as a natural remedy at the beginning of a cold for more information on jamu, see (past column).
Source: Intage Consumer Life Panorama
Mixers and juicers owned by upper SEC households in Jakarta.
The fact that several households in the upper SEC tier own air fryers may be due to growing health consciousness. Indonesian food is often deep-fried, so air fryers are useful for healthy cooking.
Source: Intage Consumer Life Panorama
Airflyers owned by upper SEC households in Jakarta.
What about drinking water, which is also used for cooking?
In Indonesia, it is not possible to drink tap water unless it is disinfected by boiling.
Therefore, mineral water is mostly purchased as drinking water.
Many households in the upper SEC level have water servers, but kettles and kettles are also used for drinking water.
Source: Intage Consumer Life Panorama
Water server, kettle, and kettle owned by upper SEC households in Jakarta.
＜Lower SEC (C and D classes) - Cook enough food to eat each time.
Half of the upper SEC households own a microwave oven, but the percentage of lower SEC households that own a microwave oven drops. Therefore, they either eat out or eat in, or if they cook at home, they cook what they can eat each time.
Almost all households owned a refrigerator, as did the top group, but the interior of the refrigerator was different.
In many cases, only ingredients and seasonings are stored in the refrigerator, and fewer households refrigerate pre-cooked food than in the top quartile. Some households put pots and pans that appeared to have been cooked directly into the refrigerator, probably to reheat them on the stove instead of having a microwave oven.
Source: Intage Consumer Life Panorama
Inside the refrigerator of a lower SEC household in Jakarta.
In addition to many ingredients such as vegetables and eggs, there are also pots and pans in the refrigerator.
Mixers and juicers were owned by more than half of the households in the upper SEC, but not so much by those in the lower SEC.
No households were found to own air fryers.
As for drinking water, many households own water servers, similar to the upper SEC group.
On the other hand, compared to the upper SEC group, many households in the lower SEC group use a kettle or a kettle.
Source: Intage Consumer Life Panorama
Water servers and kettles owned by lower SEC households in Jakarta.
Conclusion
How was the kitchen environment in Indonesia by SEC?
Although omitted from this column, it is not uncommon for middle to upper class Indonesians to hire maids. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that there are various types of eating styles in Indonesia.
What is Consumer Life Panorama?
This is a website-type database that has accumulated visual data on more than 1,000 sei-katsu-sha from 18 countries around the world. The database includes many 3D models of living environments and 2D data of items owned by each sei-katsu-sha, and is useful for understanding overseas sei-katsu-sha, which is difficult to grasp using only letters and numbers.
For details, click here.
Using visual data such as those cited in this column,
Compare the differences in the attributes of overseas consumers
To get a realistic understanding of the actual usage of each category
To understand the overall lifestyle of target consumers
etc., can be utilized as a “no-go” home visit survey.
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Author profile
Saki Otsuka
Joined INTAGE in 2022. Engaged in marketing research in the DCG area, mainly in the electronics industry.
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Editor profile
Risa Takahama
After working in marketing research support for Japanese FMCG manufacturers (cosmetics, baby products, food and beverages, etc.) in Asia, Europe, and the United States, from 2019, in her current position, she develops solutions for overseas marketing research for Japanese companies and conducts seminars and other outward communications.
Since the birth of her child, her greatest concern is how to maintain the physical and mental health of her family and herself, and she has been experimenting with various goods and services.
- Apr 22, 2025
- 108 Views