Viral Video: Americans are Shocked to Discover How Low Indonesia’s Minimum Wage is

Share:

A video of Americans being shocked when they discovered that the minimum wage in Indonesia was going viral on social media, and various reactions were shown; they even looked worried about Indonesians having to live with such a low salary.

The viral video uploaded by Indonesian digital creator, @stevenapriliano, through his TikTok account, shows how Americans look confused and surprised at how Indonesians can survive and buy their daily necessities with such a small wage.

In the viral video, Tepen interviews Americans about the estimated monthly salary of Indonesians.

Viral Video: Americans are Shocked to Discover How Low Indonesia’s Minimum Wage is
Source Tiktok

The Americans then estimated that the salaries received by Indonesians each month reached tens of millions of rupiah at a minimum.

The first person Tepen interviewed was an American woman; when asked, she thought Indonesians were paid USD 5,000, or around IDR 75 million per month.

@stevenapriliano Berapa ya kira2 pendapatan orang di Indonesia menurut orang Amerika ? 🇲🇨🇺🇸 Jumlah penghasilan diambil dari rata2 UMR pekerja tetap / pekerja biasa di Indonesia ya #kerjadiamerika #hidupdiamerika #fyp #fypシ ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

Tepen immediately refuted the woman’s guess about the minimum wage in Indonesia.

The second person interviewed by Tepen said Indonesians earn salaries of USD 2,000, or around IDR 30 million per month. But the second person’s guess was also wrong.

Finally, Tepen told those Americans that the average salary that Indonesians receive per month is around USD 300, or around IDR 4.5 million.

All those Americans that Tepen interviewed seemed genuinely shocked at how low the minimum wage in Indonesia is.

“What? That’s insane,” said the woman who Tepen interviewed.

It continued; Tepen asked other Americans about the monthly salary Indonesians receive.

This time he interviewed an American man as the third respondent in the video.

The man answered that the salary of Indonesians is estimated at USD 3,000 a month, or around IDR 45 million.

However, when told that the average Indonesian receives a salary of USD 300 a month or around IDR 4.5 million, the man looked baffled.

He couldn’t believe how low the wages of Indonesian citizens were and, at first, thought that Tepen was lying to him.

On average, all the Americans interviewed by Tepen said they were surprised by the monthly income of Indonesians. They admitted they were baffled about how Indonesians could survive with such a low wage.

Interested in this topic? Check out our other articles from Social Expat: 

Share:

Content Writer

Being in love with writing at a young age, Anasya is eager to play with words and touch hearts. She’s been a content writer for a little over four years and officially be part of Social Expat in March 2023. Her perfectionism drives her to give her best on every project she handles.

Related News

Living and working abroad as an expat can be both an exciting and rewarding experience, particularly when relocating to Indonesia. From discovering new cultures and expanding international networks to unlocking broader career opportunities, life overseas offers considerable advantages. However, alongside these opportunities comes a practical reality that many expats must manage regularly: sending money back […]

Ever dreamed of a more adventurous life, fully embedded in the culture of one of the Southeast Asia countries? Or maybe moving to Indonesia is just what you need. Among all the misconceptions about expat life in Indonesia, this article tries to put them right and show the real colors of living in this exotic […]

Global Energy Crisis Intensifies Amid Iran Conflict, Prompting Policy Responses Across Asia The global energy crisis is deepening following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route responsible for transporting around 20 per cent of the world’s daily oil supply. The disruption, which began on Saturday (28 February), has significantly affected global […]

A fire broke out in the popular tourist destination of Gili Trawangan, North Lombok, on Thursday morning, 12 March 2026, destroying several well-known bars, restaurants, and local businesses in the area. The incident occurred in Gili Indah Village, shocking residents and tourism workers in one of Indonesia’s most visited island destinations. Authorities suspect the fire […]

Indonesia Guide

Just For Fun

Write For Us

Exclusive Promotions

Event Gallery