Share of Indonesian Citizens' Drug Spending in 2025, Majority for Over-the-Counter Medicines

According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the average health expenditure of the Indonesian population in March 2025 was Rp39,837 per capita per month.

Of this, Rp28,336 (71%) of health expenditure was used for curative/treatment services.

Then, Rp6,676 (17%) was for preventive/disease prevention services, and Rp4,795 (12%) for purchasing medicine.

Of all health expenditures for purchasing medicine, the largest portion was allocated to buying over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.

"Almost half of the medicine costs incurred by the Indonesian population are for modern medicines purchased without a prescription from healthcare professionals," BPS stated in its report.

Below are the details of the proportion of monthly per capita health expenditure of the Indonesian population for medicine costs in March 2025:

• Modern medicines purchased without a prescription from healthcare professionals (doctors, midwives, nurses): 47.18%
• Medicines purchased with a prescription from healthcare professionals: 35.46%
• Traditional medicines/herbal remedies for treatment: 12.28%
• Costs for purchasing eyeglasses, prosthetics (artificial limbs, dentures, etc.), and wheelchairs: 5.08% 

According to BPS, the large proportion of expenditure on non-prescription drugs aligns with the high number of residents who commonly self-medicate.

Of all residents who reported health complaints in March 2025, 78.43% had self-treated.