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

Indonesia is one of Southeast Asia’s more affordable destinations for medical care, but quality, cost, and access can vary greatly depending on your location. In 2025, the country faces a medical inflation rate of 19.4%, one of the highest in the region. A major driver is the ongoing investment by private healthcare providers, who are […]

In an effort to promote compliance and awareness among Bali’s growing expatriate community, LMI Consultancy is collaborating with Social Expat to host an exclusive workshop titled “Living and Thriving in Bali – A Practical Guide for Expatriates.” The event will take place on Wednesday, 15 October 2025, at Jaba Lounge, Fairfield by Marriott Bali Kuta Sunset […]

Indonesia has become one of Southeast Asia’s most attractive investment destinations. With more than 270 million people, a rising middle class, and rapid digital adoption, the market is rich with opportunity. Yet for foreign companies, the path to establishing a presence in the Indonesian Market can be complex. Legal frameworks are intricate, infrastructure gaps remain, […]

 The Indonesian government has confirmed the official list of public holidays and collective leave days for 2026, to be used as a guideline by ministries, regional administrations, businesses and the public in planning activities throughout the year.  The decision was formalised in a joint ministerial decree (SKB Tiga Menteri) signed by Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin, […]

Indonesia Guide

Just For Fun

Write For Us

Exclusive Promotions

Event Gallery