The short version
Bogor is the southern end of the Jakarta commuter relationship, but it should not be reduced to a cheaper bedroom for the capital. The city has its own centre, university life, local commerce, older civic buildings and a cooler, wetter atmosphere. The station and the botanical garden make a useful first orientation, though the city spreads far beyond them.
The central area is the most urban and the easiest place to understand on foot. Around Kebun Raya Bogor, the presidential palace and the older streets, the city has a strong sense of place. North and west districts become more residential and road dependent. Baranangsiang and the east side offer another mix of universities, hotels and routes toward the Puncak foothills.
A city with a climate of its own
Bogor’s botanical garden is not a decorative afterthought. It is a major public and scientific institution in the middle of the city, with mature planting, research history and a daily relationship to surrounding streets. The garden helps explain why Bogor feels greener and more spacious than the northern metro, even though traffic and density remain substantial.
The rain is part of the decision. Roads, drainage, slope and the route to work matter more here than a broad city label. A home that looks close to the centre can still require a car or motorbike for ordinary errands. The commuter rail connection is valuable, but the long distance to Jakarta makes work location and office attendance policy central to the choice.
Who belongs here
Bogor suits people who want a city with a local centre and greenery, and who can make a southern work pattern fit. It is a good option for university communities, households with a Bogor based routine and commuters who prefer a longer rail journey to living in the inner core. It is a poor fit for someone who must cross Jakarta every day at peak time.
Do not choose Bogor on climate alone. Visit during heavy rain, inspect the route to the station or workplace, and distinguish the compact city from the much larger surrounding regency.
My view
Bogor has more character than the phrase satellite city suggests. The trade is distance and weather, not a lack of urban life. I would choose the city for its own rhythm, with the Jakarta connection as an advantage rather than the sole reason for living there.