Many Indonesian Middle Class Take on Side Jobs, Here's Why

Katadata Insight Center (KIC) released the 'Katadata Indonesia Middle Class Insight' (KIMCI) report at the IDE Katadata Future Forum 2026 event held at the Ballroom of the Jakarta Theater, Jakarta, on Wednesday (15/4/2026).

The KIMCI report contains research findings on the conditions, behaviors, and perceptions of the middle class, which can serve as a basis for formulating strategies and policies to strengthen resilience, promote growth, and support economic and social development in Indonesia.

KIC found that currently, 46% of Indonesia's middle class have side jobs outside their main jobs.

Among those who engage in side jobs, the majority (53.1%) do so to meet their daily needs.

"Given the current economic situation, relying on a single source of income is no longer considered sufficient, so side jobs have now become a necessary defense mechanism to bridge financial gaps," KIC said in its report.

"The side hustles undertaken by the middle class serve as an 'economic buffer' when the main source of income is perceived as not being stable enough," it continued.

There are also middle class individuals who engage in side jobs to develop themselves, such as building networks, honing their interests and talents, and preparing for the transition to entrepreneurship, but the proportion of these individuals is smaller.

Here are the details of the reasons why the Indonesian middle class engage in side jobs, according to a KIC survey:

• Increasing income to meet living needs: 53.1% of respondents
• Increasing savings: 41.5%
• Developing interests and talents: 35.4%
• Achieving financial goals: 33.3%
• Building a business network or relationships: 30%
• Filling free time: 29.6%
• Preparing for entrepreneurship: 28.1%
• Reducing dependence on main jobs: 27.4%
• Reducing stress: 14%
• Paying off debts with additional income: 10.8%
• Others: 1.1%

KIC conducted this survey from the fourth quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of 2026 on 1,000 middle-class respondents, then narrowed it down to 463 respondents who have side jobs.

The respondents were aged between 18 and 60 years old with an average monthly household expenditure of Rp2 million to Rp10 million, referring to the definition of the middle class from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

The full report of the Katadata Indonesia Middle Class Insight (KIMCI) from KIC can be downloaded at this link.