Survey: Housing Units Under 20 Square Meters Are Less Popular in Indonesia

The government plans to reduce the minimum size of subsidized houses to 18 square meters (m²).

This plan is included in a draft Ministerial Decree of the Ministry of Housing and Settlements (PKP) Number/KPTS/M/2025, which states that the minimum size of subsidized houses is designed to be 18 m² and a maximum of 36 m².

Rumah123 research shows that public interest in housing units under 20 m² remains very low, both for landed houses and apartments.

“To date, only 0.8% of landed house seekers and 3.9% of apartment seekers are interested in housing units under 20 m²,” said Rumah123 Head of Research Marisa Jaya in a written statement on Thursday (3/7/2026).

Houses with an area of 90-150 m² were the most popular type of house, accounting for 23.4% in the January-May 2025 period.

For apartments, people prefer units with an area of 20-60 m², with a proportion of 47.9%.

Rumah123 assesses that smaller apartments are more popular because their housing concept is aimed at space efficiency that can be utilized by one person, a couple, or a small family.

Meanwhile, landed houses tend to be sought after by people who need privacy and sufficient space for their families.

Marisa explained that each market segment has its own needs. However, for the demand for landed houses, the preference for sufficiently spacious housing remains very strong among the public.

“This finding is expected to provide constructive input for stakeholders in designing housing policies and products that are in line with public aspirations and needs,” she said.