A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Jakarta vs. Oslo for Families, Attractions, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Jakarta or Oslo?

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 Oslo. 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 friendly, diverse, and genuine city. It's an amazing and huge city with tons of activities and things to do. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping. See Jakarta travel costs.

Oslo

Oslo is a progressive, park-filled, and green city. It's a large city with plenty of activites for visitors as well. Other reasons to visit include nightlife, food, and museums. See Oslo travel costs.

Jakarta and Oslo: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Jakarta or Oslo?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Jakarta than Oslo, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Oslo is more touristy than Jakarta and is popular for its Viking history, its locally caught seafood, its maritime museums, and its access to winter sports. Jakarta is popular for its diversity, culture, cuisine, and mega-malls. It is also home to Istiqlal Mosque.

How is Jakarta different from Oslo?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Oslo 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 Oslo?

Spend time exploring the great sights and museums in either Jakarta or Oslo.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Jakarta. 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.

Oslo offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. Famous sights around town include the Akershus Fortress, the Folk Museum of Norway, and the Munch Museum.

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

Jakarta is notable for its local cuisine and restaurants. Also, Oslo is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its restaurants.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Jakarta makes for a great culinary experience. 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.

Oslo has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. The city has a reputation of serving a lot of cured meats and potato dishes, but there is actually a good amount of variation available. Local favorites include smoked salmon, meatballs, and meat stews.

Is Jakarta or Oslo Better for Nightlife?

If the nightlife is your priority, you'll find good options in both Jakarta and Oslo.

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 Oslo. The city's high alcohol prices mean that many locals enjoy their drinks at home during pre-parties before heading out on the town. The atmosphere is usually laid-back and chill, with a diversity of entertainment venues that you can choose between.

Is the Shopping Better in Jakarta or Oslo?

Jakarta is notable for shopping. However, Oslo is a mediocre city for its shopping opportunities.

Jakarta is an extremely popular place for shoppers. 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.

If you're looking to go shopping, Oslo has some nice offerings. The shopping that is available includes shopping malls and local boutique shops.

Is Jakarta or Oslo Better for Families?

Oslo 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, Oslo is very family-friendly. The city goes out of its way to integrate kid-friendly activities into everyday life. From playgrounds and parks to interactive museums and nearby amusement parks, this city is among the most kid-friendly around.

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 Oslo Better for Couples?

Jakarta and Oslo both good destinations for a couple.

Jakarta is a nice destination for couples. 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.

Oslo makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. You can explore castles, go on forest hikes, or enjoy a couple's massage.

Is Jakarta or Oslo Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

For backpackers, both Jakarta and Oslo are good places to visit.

Plenty of backpackers 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.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Oslo. Notoriously expensive, this city does have some hostels, but it can be a bit challenging for those on a budget. Because many backpackers avoid the area due to the costs, it can be challenging to meet other backpackers.

Is Jakarta or Oslo Better for Students?

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

Many students visit Oslo. The University of Oslo has an excellent reputation and welcomes many foreign students every year. The school does a lot to make sure international students feel at home here.

Jakarta is not popular with students.

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

Oslo 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 Oslo can take you anywhere. The system includes buses, trams, undergrounds, local trains, and ferries.

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 Oslo a more walkable city?

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

Oslo is very walkable. The city has a number of traffic-free areas so it's fun to explore on foot.

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 Oslo Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Oslo or Jakarta?

How long in Jakarta or Oslo?

In either Jakarta or Oslo, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Oslo than Jakarta because of the overall number of sights and activities. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Jakarta, and 1-5 days is enough time in Oslo.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Oslo 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 Oslo.

One day in Jakarta or Oslo?

Jakarta is a big city destination where you can fill many days. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

In Oslo, you'll find museums and nightlife. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

A weekend in Jakarta or Oslo?

Jakarta is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

In Oslo, you'll find nightlife and food. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Oslo has to offer.

Five days in Jakarta or Oslo?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the genuine big city of Jakarta. This city offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Oslo is a great place to explore. It is common to spend five days here. Five days is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Oslo has to offer. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

A week in Jakarta or Oslo?

The sprawling city of Jakarta offers nightlife and food. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week 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.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Oslo. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Oslo. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Indonesia, The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia, The Best Polar Tours & Cruises in Norway, and The Best Northern Lights Tours in Norway.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jakarta and Oslo, we can see that Oslo 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 Oslo is in Europe, 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 Oslo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Oslo 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 Oslo Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Jakarta or Oslo?

Jakarta has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Oslo. When comparing the sizes of Jakarta and Oslo, 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.