A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Jakarta vs. San Francisco for Attractions, Food, Families, and Couples

Should you visit Jakarta or San Francisco?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Jakarta and San Francisco. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Jakarta

Jakarta is a sprawling, friendly, and diverse city. Visitors will also find so much to do here because it's a large city with many sights and attractions. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food. See Jakarta travel costs.

San Francisco

San Francisco is a scenic, beautiful, and outdoorsy coastal city. It's an amazing and huge city with tons of activities and things to do. Many visitors also come to San Francisco because of it's amazing beauty. Other reasons to visit include theater, nightlife, and live music. See San Francisco travel costs.

Jakarta and San Francisco: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Jakarta or San Francisco?

Visitors will generally find more to do in San Francisco than Jakarta. While Jakarta is larger than San Francisco, San Francisco has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. San Francisco is more touristy than Jakarta and is known for its striking bayfront setting, stunning urban hikes, quirky personality, and reputation within the tech industry. Also, San Francisco is famous for The Golden Gate Bridge. Jakarta is well known for its diversity, culture, cuisine, and mega-malls.

How is Jakarta different from San Francisco?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between San Francisco and Jakarta. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Jakarta or San Francisco?

San Francisco is terrific for its historical sights. Also, Jakarta is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its sights and museums.

Travelers visit San Francisco from around the world to see its many world-famous attractions. The city's landmarks are as diverse as the people who live there. The most recognizable landmark is the famous Golden Gate Bridge, but visitors also enjoy seeing Alcatraz Island, the Legion of Honor, the Palace of Fine Arts, as well as the small but fascinating Cable Car Museum.

Jakarta offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. There's a huge number of museums around town like the National Museum, Museum Layang-Layang, and Museum MACAN. There's also Merdeka Square, which is one of the world's biggest public squares and Istiqlal Mosque, which is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.

Is Jakarta or San Francisco Better for Theater?

San Francisco is a good destination for theatre. However, Jakarta is not a theatre destination.

If you have some extra time in San Francisco, take in a show. The city has around a dozen theaters where you can enjoy musicals or plays.

Jakarta is not a theatre destination.

Is the Food Better in Jakarta or San Francisco? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

San Francisco is terrific for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Jakarta is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Eat your way through San Francisco, as it has many local or world renowned restaurants to choose from. There are local dives as well as five star restaurants, with everything in between. Popular local dining experiences include sourdough bread bowls and Dungeness crab at Fisherman's Wharf, and dim sum in Chinatown. Head away from the touristy neighborhoods if you want to sample some of the more local restaurants around town.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Jakarta. There are so many different cultures represented in Indonesian cuisine, and you'll find them all in Jakarta. The food stalls, restaurants, and casual eateries all have their own flavor and style, which makes dining in this mega-city a true adventure.

Is Jakarta or San Francisco Better for Nightlife?

If the nightlife is your priority, you'll find notable options in both Jakarta and San Francisco.

If you're looking for night time activities Jakarta has a few options to choose from. It's a huge city, so there's a very active nightlife scene, but it's mostly focused on locals and not tourists like you'll find elsewhere in Indonesia. For the best nightlife district, head to Kemang, which has many bars and clubs.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in San Francisco. It has a great nightlife with many local bars and trendy clubs. For the best nightlife away from the tourists, head to Valencia Street or Polk Street. If you want to be in a more touristy area, check out Union Square. Popular clubs in the city include Temple San Francisco, Monarch, and Audio Nightclub.

Is Jakarta or San Francisco Better for Music?

San Francisco is a good destination for live music. However, Jakarta is not a live music destination.

You don't have to look far to find a unique music venue in San Francisco. Well known music venues include the Great American Music Hall, Slim's, and The Chapel.

Jakarta is not a live music destination.

Is Jakarta or San Francisco Better for Beaches?

San Francisco is a great coastal city for its beaches. However, Jakarta is not a beach destination.

Many people visit San Francisco for it's beautiful beaches. Whether you're interested in surfing or simply taking in the dramatic views, the beaches of San Francisco will take your breath away. Some of the best beaches include Ocean Beach, Baker Beach, and Muir Beach.

Jakarta is not a beach destination.

Is Jakarta or San Francisco Better for Hiking?

San Francisco is terrific for hiking. However, Jakarta is not a hiking destination.

San Francisco is well-known for its hiking and trekking. The city's hikes take in the dramatic views of the bay and city. Just outside of town there are also countless hikes through the Redwoods and along the coastline. Popular hikes in the area include Lands End, Tomales Point Trail at Point Reyes National Seashore, and Muir Woods.

Jakarta is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Jakarta or San Francisco?

San Francisco is terrific for shopping. Also, Jakarta is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its shopping opportunities.

People travel from around the world to go shopping in San Francisco. The city has excellent shopping from local vendors to recognizable brands. Union Square, Embarcadero, Fillmore Street and Haight Street are some of the best neighborhoods for shopping.

Jakarta is a popular shopping destination with plenty of stores. The city is filled with high end luxury malls where you can buy the latest fashions and many international brands. Around town you'll also find everything from local handicrafts to chic boutiques and grand international chains.

Is Jakarta or San Francisco More Beautiful?

San Francisco is terrific for its scenery and beauty. However, Jakarta is not a destination known for its beauty.

Many visitors also come to San Francisco because of it's amazing beauty. With its dramatic Golden Gate Bridge, and the many beautiful hills with striking views of the city and bay, San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States.

Jakarta is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is Jakarta or San Francisco Better for Families?

San Francisco is terrific for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Jakarta is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its family-friendly activities.

With a huge array of activities for kids, San Francisco is very family-friendly. With its many outdoor parks, hiking trails, beaches, and kid-friendly museums, this city makes a great family-friendly destination. There are also many amazing playgrounds with stunning views of the bay and city. Head to Chinatown for some unique and kid-friendly food, or down to Pier 39 for fun activities that the whole family can enjoy.

Jakarta is a family-friendly place to visit. Most visitors skip out on this huge city, and it's definitely not the first place that comes to mind when you think about family-friendly destinations, but there's actually a very fascinating culture that kids and adults alike can enjoy. There's the Kota area, which has colonial architecture. There's also a puppet museum and several history museums. But for most kids, the highlight is a visit to the Taman Impian Jaya Ancol area, which has amusement parks and even SeaWorld.

Is Jakarta or San Francisco Better for Couples?

San Francisco is a great coastal city for romance. Also, Jakarta is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its romantic activities.

San Francisco is a great coastal city if you're traveling as a couple. Couples enjoy the romantic backdrop of this beautiful city. There are world-class restaurants and plenty of spas that couples can enjoy during a honeymoon or romantic getaway. There are also many scenic walks and breathtaking views that couples can appreciate.

Jakarta makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Most travelers looking for a romantic destination will head to the many famous honeymoon spots in Indonesia. But for those who make their way to Jakarta, there is sure to be a lot of adventure and culture. The city has many great museums as well as nature parks and amusement parks.

Is Jakarta or San Francisco Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

San Francisco is a great coastal city for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Jakarta is not as popular, but is still a nice city for backpackers.

San Francisco is very popular with the backpacker crowd. The city is one of the more backpacker friendly cities in the United States. There are a handful of hostels throughout, many concentrated in the popular Union Square and Downtown neighborhoods of the city.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Jakarta. Visitors often have strong feelings about this city, whether they love it or hate it. For those backpackers who spend some time here, they're sure to be treated to a look at true Indonesian culture, which is hard to find in the more touristy areas.

Is Jakarta or San Francisco Better for Students?

San Francisco is a great coastal city for its student-friendly activities. However, Jakarta is not popular with students.

Many students visit San Francisco. As a large and dynamic city, the area is popular with international students who want to experience this unique side of the United States. Major universities in the area include University of San Francisco, San Francisco State University, and nearby, the University of California, Berkeley.

Jakarta is not popular with students.

Is Jakarta or San Francisco Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

San Francisco is terrific for times when you don't have a car. However, Jakarta is not known for its public transit.

The thorough and effecient public transit system of San Francisco can take you anywhere. The transit network includes a subway (the BART), trams, cable cars, ferries, and buses.

Public transit is generally limited in Jakarta. Public transportation has improved a lot recently. There's a commuter line as well as buses. The system can be a bit overwhelming and slow though, so tourists often avoid it.

Is Jakarta or San Francisco a more walkable city?

San Francisco is a great coastal city for its walkability. However, Jakarta is not known for its high level of walkability.

San Francisco is very walkable. It is compact enough to explore on foot, but given the large hills, it's a bit of a challenge, even for the most fit among us.

Jakarta is generally not very walkable. Central Jakarta is more walkable than most of the city but, in general, the city has a lot of traffic and isn't the best for exploring on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Jakarta Worth Visiting? and Is San Francisco Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in San Francisco or Jakarta?

How long in Jakarta or San Francisco?

Both Jakarta and San Francisco have a number of activities to choose from. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in San Francisco than in Jakarta. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Jakarta, and 3-7 days is enough time in San Francisco.

Families should spend more time in San Francisco than Jakarta. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in San Francisco, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in San Francisco than Jakarta. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in San Francisco that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in San Francisco than Jakarta if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in San Francisco.

One day in Jakarta or San Francisco?

Jakarta is a bustling city that offers something for everyone. Your budget might influence how long you stay. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then one day is just the right amount of time to spend here.

In San Francisco, you'll find food and shopping. You'll find plenty of activities on the beach. This coastal city offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

A weekend in Jakarta or San Francisco?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Jakarta. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. A weekend is usually enough time to experience most activities.

In San Francisco, you'll find shopping and museums. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. Since there is so much to do in the area, a weekend is probably not enough for all of it.

Five days in Jakarta or San Francisco?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the friendly big city of Jakarta. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.

San Francisco is a great place to explore. It is common to spend five days here. Many visitors spend time at the beach while visiting the area. Five days is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that San Francisco has to offer. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

A week in Jakarta or San Francisco?

You'll find food and shopping around the city of Jakarta. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in San Francisco. In San Francisco, you'll find theater and nightlife. People usually spend lots of time at the beach. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one week here.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Indonesia, The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia, The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jakarta and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco is more expensive. And not only is Jakarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Jakarta is in Asia and San Francisco is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Jakarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jakarta and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in San Francisco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Francisco than you might in Jakarta.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Jakarta Expensive? and Is San Francisco Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Jakarta or San Francisco?

Jakarta has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of San Francisco. When comparing the sizes of Jakarta and San Francisco, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.