Not Medan or Makassar, This Is the Most Digital City Outside Java

East Kalimantan has emerged as the province with the highest digital competitiveness outside Java. Balikpapan, the province’s largest city, is also the only city outside Java to rank among the top 10 cities and regencies with the highest digital competitiveness in Indonesia. The EV-DCI 2026 report, which presents digital competitiveness data for 38 provinces and 157 cities and regencies across Indonesia, illustrates the development of digitalisation throughout the country. Although Java’s dominance remains strong, the latest report shows significant leaps in areas beyond the nation’s economic centre. Jakarta remains the province with the highest digital competitiveness based on the EV-DCI 2026, followed by West Java and East Java. Banten and the Special Region of Yogyakarta then occupy the fourth and fifth positions. East Kalimantan is the province with the highest digital competitiveness located outside Java. From Sumatra, the Riau Islands province ranks highest. Meanwhile, South Sulawesi is the province with the highest digital competitiveness in eastern Indonesia. Balikpapan is in fifth place in the city and regency digital competitiveness rankings. The second to fourth positions are filled by Jakarta, Depok, Bandung, and South Tangerang. Overall, the EV-DCI 2026 data, collected over seven years, reflects a steadily growing digital transformation in Indonesia. The average provincial score has risen by 50% since the first report was published in 2020. In 2026, the province with the biggest jump in ranking is Southwest Papua. Massive infrastructure development, particularly in rural areas, is a factor that boosted Southwest Papua’s digital competitiveness, lifting it 15 places. Another factor is the increase in the ratio of workers using the internet to sell on social media. However, the gap between the province with the highest competitiveness, Jakarta, and the province with the weakest, Papua Pegunungan, illustrates the wide digital divide in Indonesia. DKI Jakarta’s EV-DCI score is 79.6, while Papua Pegunungan’s is only 20.5. ‘With increasingly well-distributed digital access, Indonesia’s competitive advantage lies in our willingness to drive efficiency in data collection, build integrated platforms to process that data, and distribute reliable information. By integrating these capabilities into national programmes, we can execute national programmes with smoother planning and processes, monitor in real time, and iterate quickly to adapt to emerging issues on the ground. This will transform digital infrastructure into tangible digital dividends for all,’ said Willson Cuaca, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of East Ventures. The latest digital competitiveness report also found a link between digital development and investment. Every 1-point increase in the EV-DCI correlates with a 1.9% increase in domestic investment flows and a 6.25% increase in foreign investment.