A survey by Indonesian research firm Inventure Indonesia reveals that a number of Indonesian Gen Z and millennial middle-class respondents reported delaying plans due to decreased purchasing power.
The most commonly delayed plan was buying a vehicle, with 70% of respondents reporting this.
The next most delayed plans were buying or renovating a house (68% of respondents), followed by investment and non-emergency savings (56% of respondents).
Luxury entertainment and recreation were also delayed by 51% of respondents, followed by higher education (34%), having children (14%), and marriage (4%).
In this survey on delayed plans, all respondents were asked, "Amidst the declining purchasing power, what future plans have you postponed?"
In addition, Inventure's survey found that 51% of respondents did not feel a decrease in purchasing power, while 49% did.
Broken down by spending class, those who felt the most significant decrease in purchasing power were from the aspiring middle class (67%), with only 33% not feeling it.
Meanwhile, 47% of the middle class felt a decrease in purchasing power, while 53% did not.
Inventure assesses that the aspiring middle class is the most vulnerable to decreased purchasing power.
"This indicates that the current economic pressure is felt more by the aspiring middle class group than by the middle class," wrote the research team in a report received by Databoks on Monday, February 10, 2025.
This research involved 450 middle-class respondents: 60% millennials and 40% Gen Z. The gender composition was 53% male and 47% female.
Inventure also categorized the sample based on household expenditure: 79% from middle class-A2 with expenditures of Rp 2.1 million to Rp 9.6 million; 14% from aspiring middle class-B with expenditures of Rp 900,000 to Rp 2.1 million; and 7% from the upper middle class with expenditures above Rp 9.6 million.
The survey was conducted using a face-to-face method in five major cities—Jabodetabek, Semarang, Surabaya, Medan, and Makassar—in September 2024.
(Also read: [Indonesia's Middle Class Population is Shrinking](https://databoks.katadata.co.id/ekonomi-makro/statistik/66d01ca59a388/populasi-kelas-menengah-indonesia-kian-berkurang))