Forms of 'Self-Reward' Practiced by the Indonesian Middle Class

The Indonesian Public Opinion Discussion and Study Group (KedaiKOPI) has profiled the forms self-reward commonly practiced by the middle class in Indonesia.

The results show that 49.1% of respondents chose to spend time at cafes as a form of self-gratitude.

Others gave themselves self-rewards in the form of vacations (46.8%), clothing shopping (39.1%), self-care (26.2%), buying gadgets (17.8%), buying electronics (12.6%), culinary experiences (1.9%), and others (1.8%).

Meanwhile, 10% of middle-class respondents did not engage in self-reward activities.

The survey also found that the majority, or 46%, of middle-class respondents in Indonesia have a lifestyle expenditure of Rp500,000 to Rp1 million per month. This includes non-essential spending on fashion, dining out or socializing, recreation, traveling, or streaming.

Furthermore, 23.9% of respondents spend less than Rp500,000 per month, and 23.3% spend Rp1.5 million-Rp3 million per month.

KedaiKOPI conducted this survey with 932 respondents spread across Indonesia, consisting of 63.8% women and 36.2% men.

Data collection was carried out from October 14-19, 2025, using the online-computerized assisted self-interview (CASI) method.

Respondents were dominated by millennials (29-44 years old) at 61.6%, followed by Generation Z (17-28 years old) at 26%, and Generation X (45-55 years old) at 12.4%.