Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Boracay vs Semarang

Boracay vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 63% cheaper Boracay +62 Mbps N/A / Moderate

Boracay

Ramon Kagie/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$2,259

Boracay

$825

Semarang

Internet

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Boracay

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Boracay

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

N/A

Boracay

Moderate

Semarang

Population

33.1k

Boracay

1.6m

Semarang

Boracay (Philippines) and Semarang (Indonesia) are both in Asia, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Semarang is the clear budget winner at $825/mo — 63% cheaper than Boracay's $2259/mo, a saving of $17208 per year.

For families, Boracay costs $3334.410240670527/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Boracay leads on internet connectivity at 94 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

Both Boracay and Semarang share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Boracay and Semarang.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Boracay is April (around 33 degrees, 0mm rain, score 390), while Semarang peaks in July (35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 397). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

BoracaySemarang

Nomad$2,259/mo$825/mo

Expat$1,542/mo$603/mo

Local$953/mo$459/mo

Family$3,334/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

BoracaySemarang

City Speed

94 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed94 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

BoracaySemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AModerate

ClimateN/AModerate

Humidity7988

Quality of Life

BoracaySemarang

SafetyN/AModerate

HealthcareN/AModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Boracay

Semarang

Jan

29°

2mm297

34°

8mm237

Feb

29°

1mm372

35°

5mm222

Mar

31°

0mm376

36°

6mm253

Apr

33°

0mm390

37°

5mm319

May

35°

1mm372

37°

1mm373

Jun

35°

7mm308

36°

1mm368

Jul

34°

10mm205

35°

0mm397

Aug

33°

3mm318

36°

0mm397

Sep

32°

4mm297

36°

0mm397

Oct

34°

8mm205

37°

0mm382

Nov

33°

3mm318

36°

7mm319

Dec

31°

7mm97

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Boracay?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $3334.410240670527/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 33.1k residents
Peak season in April — 33 degrees, score 390

Who Should Choose Semarang?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $825
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1605.588646314858/mo for families
Peak season in July — 35 degrees, score 397

Overall Verdict

Overall, Semarang edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $825/mo it runs 63% cheaper than Boracay's $2259/mo, with 32 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Boracay Semarang

ItemBoracaySemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant—$1.3

—

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)—$9.72

—

McMeal or equivalent combo—$3.24

—

Cappuccino (regular)—$1.34

—

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)—$2.48

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)—$2.59

—

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)—$0.42

—

Water (0.33L)—$0.2

—

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)—$1.13

—

White bread (500g)—$0.97

—

White rice (1kg)—$0.81

—

Eggs (12)—$1.29

—

Chicken fillets (1kg)—$2.96

—

Beef round (1kg)—$7.24

—

Local cheese (1kg)—$6.15

—

Apples (1kg)—$2.3

—

Bananas (1kg)—$1.3

—

Oranges (1kg)—$1.15

—

Tomatoes (1kg)—$0.86

—

Potatoes (1kg)—$1.15

—

Onions (1kg)—$1.38

—

Lettuce (1 head)—$0.55

—

Water (1.5L bottle)—$0.36

—

Wine, mid-range bottle—$12.15

—

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)—$2.03

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)—$2.98

—

Cigarettes (pack of 20)—$1.94

—

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket—$0.23

—

Monthly transport pass—$18.18

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)—$0.58

—

Taxi per 1km—$0.32

—

Taxi 1hr waiting—$2.11

—

Gasoline (1L)—$0.79

—

Volkswagen Golf (new)—$23,334.86

—

Toyota Corolla (new)—$27,914.38

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo—$40.19

—

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo—$28.38

—

Mobile prepaid per minute—$0.1

—

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly—$29.17

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)—$12.15

—

Cinema, 1 ticket—$3.24

—

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo—$75.62

—

International primary school/yr—$6,009.65

—

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)—$32.39

—

Summer dress (chain store)—$22.69

—

Nike running shoes (mid-range)—$64.82

—

Men's leather business shoes—$37.81

—

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre—$259.28

—

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre—$194.46

—

3-bedroom apartment, city centre—$680.6

—

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre—$550.96

—

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre—$1,215.36

—

Price per m², outside centre—$378.11

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary—$269

—

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)—$8.69

—

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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