Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Busan vs Semarang

Busan vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 56% cheaper Busan +118 Mbps High / Moderate

Busan

Pang Yuhao/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,864

Busan

$825

Semarang

Internet

150

Mbps

Safety

High

Busan

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Busan

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

Moderate

Busan

Moderate

Semarang

Population

3.4m

Busan

1.6m

Semarang

Busan (South Korea) 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

Budget-conscious nomads take note: Semarang costs $825/mo, saving 56% compared to Busan's $1864/mo — that's $12468 per year.

For families, Busan costs $2376.087874275796/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Remote workers will appreciate Busan's 150 Mbps (global #60) — considerably faster than Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

Busan has a stronger safety profile than Semarang, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Busan and Semarang.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Busan is June (around 27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 459), 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

BusanSemarang

Nomad$1,864/mo$825/mo

Expat$1,181/mo$603/mo

Local$679/mo$459/mo

Family$2,376/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

BusanSemarang

City Speed

150 Mbps#60

32 Mbps

Country Speed199 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

BusanSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateModerate

ClimateHighModerate

Humidity4188

Quality of Life

BusanSemarang

SafetyHighModerate

HealthcareModerateModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Busan

Semarang

Jan

4°

0mm399

34°

8mm237

Feb

5°

0mm395

35°

5mm222

Mar

9°

0mm407

36°

6mm253

Apr

18°

0mm419

37°

5mm319

May

21°

0mm439

37°

1mm373

Jun

27°

0mm459

36°

1mm368

Jul

31°

3mm387

35°

0mm397

Aug

36°

0mm459

36°

0mm397

Sep

33°

0mm446

36°

0mm397

Oct

22°

1mm435

37°

0mm382

Nov

15°

0mm419

36°

7mm319

Dec

3°

0mm399

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Busan?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 150 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2376.087874275796/mo for families
Major city energy with 3.4m residents
Peak season in June — 27 degrees, score 459

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

For the typical digital nomad, Busan is the stronger pick. At $1864/mo it beats Semarang's $825/mo by 56%, and the 150 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Busan Semarang

ItemBusanSemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$6.15$1.3

79%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$36.49$9.72

73%

McMeal or equivalent combo$4.99$3.24

35%

Cappuccino (regular)$3.35$1.34

60%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$3.07$2.48

19%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$4.61$2.59

44%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$1.32$0.42

68%

Water (0.33L)$0.74$0.2

73%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$2.01$1.13

44%

White bread (500g)$2.49$0.97

61%

White rice (1kg)$4.1$0.81

80%

Eggs (12)$2$1.29

36%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$6.15$2.96

52%

Beef round (1kg)$25.61$7.24

72%

Local cheese (1kg)$13.83$6.15

56%

Apples (1kg)$5.22$2.3

56%

Bananas (1kg)$2.89$1.3

55%

Oranges (1kg)$4.96$1.15

77%

Tomatoes (1kg)$4.61$0.86

81%

Potatoes (1kg)$3.59$1.15

68%

Onions (1kg)$2.88$1.38

52%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.79$0.55

69%

Water (1.5L bottle)$1.01$0.36

64%

Wine, mid-range bottle$9.99$12.15

18%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.94$2.03

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.6$2.98

13%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$3.46$1.94

44%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$1$0.23

77%

Monthly transport pass$46.09$18.18

61%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$2.54$0.58

77%

Taxi per 1km$0.92$0.32

65%

Taxi 1hr waiting$8.11$2.11

74%

Gasoline (1L)$1.34$0.79

41%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$26,119.83$23,334.86

11%

Toyota Corolla (new)—$27,914.38

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$141.08$40.19

72%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$22.28$28.38

21%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.1$0.1

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$52.68$29.17

45%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$11.52$12.15

Cinema, 1 ticket$9.22$3.24

65%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$409.72$75.62

82%

International primary school/yr$25,351.6$6,009.65

76%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$58.19$32.39

44%

Summer dress (chain store)$36.3$22.69

37%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$72.98$64.82

11%

Men's leather business shoes$90.91$37.81

58%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$414.87$259.28

38%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$325.95$194.46

40%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$926.49$680.6

27%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$625.56$550.96

12%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$7,259.92$1,215.36

83%

Price per m², outside centre$9,080.43$378.11

96%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$1,910.04$269

86%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$3.69$8.69

58%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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