Jakarta Residents Flock to the Suburbs, Buffer Cities Reap Benefits but Also Bear Burdens

The increase in residents moving from Jakarta to buffer areas in recent years is not only altering housing patterns but also bringing dual impacts to surrounding regions such as Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi. Urban planning expert M. Azis Muslim describes this suburbanisation phenomenon as presenting both advantages and burdens to the buffer regions. “These buffer areas receive the overflow from Jakarta, both in terms of blessings and disasters,” Azis told Kompas.com on Thursday (30/4/2026). From a positive perspective, the population shift is seen as capable of stimulating the local economy. Azis explained that the influx of new residents encourages increased economic activity in the outskirts. “GRDP (Gross Regional Domestic Product) can rise, SMEs grow, and economic circulation becomes more vibrant,” he said. Additionally, the development of residential areas is becoming more evident, particularly with the emergence of middle-class properties around Jakarta. This condition is viewed as an indicator of regional growth while opening opportunities for increasing original local revenue (PAD). According to Azis, the rise in land prices in buffer areas is starting to feel significant, even triggering the displacement of local residents. “In Depok, land prices are already quite expensive, so original residents are starting to be pushed to further areas,” he stated. This phenomenon echoes the previous displacement of residents in Jakarta, when certain social groups were driven out due to rising housing prices. Azis assesses that areas like Depok and Bekasi are now beginning to experience significant traffic density, especially on weekends. “What was previously congestion mostly occurring in Jakarta, now the outskirts are also experiencing it,” he said.