Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Chengdu vs Semarang

Chengdu vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 35% cheaper Chengdu +212 Mbps High / Moderate

Chengdu

pengfei Jin/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,269

Chengdu

$825

Semarang

Internet

244

Mbps

Safety

High

Chengdu

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Chengdu

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

High

Chengdu

Moderate

Semarang

Population

16.0m

Chengdu

1.6m

Semarang

Chengdu (China) 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 35% compared to Chengdu's $1269/mo — that's $5328 per year.

For families, Chengdu costs $2203.859460543051/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Remote workers will appreciate Chengdu's 244 Mbps (global #0) — considerably faster than Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

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

Chengdu offers better healthcare infrastructure than Semarang — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Chengdu is May (around 30 degrees, 0mm rain, score 444), 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

ChengduSemarang

Nomad$1,269/mo$825/mo

Expat$851/mo$603/mo

Local$630/mo$459/mo

Family$2,204/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

ChengduSemarang

City Speed

244 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed244 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

ChengduSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighModerate

ClimateHighModerate

Humidity6588

Quality of Life

ChengduSemarang

SafetyHighModerate

HealthcareHighModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Chengdu

Semarang

Jan

11°

0mm396

34°

8mm237

Feb

8°

0mm396

35°

5mm222

Mar

18°

1mm411

36°

6mm253

Apr

26°

3mm384

37°

5mm319

May

30°

0mm444

37°

1mm373

Jun

33°

1mm430

36°

1mm368

Jul

36°

2mm353

35°

0mm397

Aug

39°

0mm394

36°

0mm397

Sep

35°

1mm436

36°

0mm397

Oct

22°

1mm344

37°

0mm382

Nov

17°

0mm406

36°

7mm319

Dec

8°

0mm384

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Chengdu?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1269
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 244 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2203.859460543051/mo for families
Major city energy with 16.0m residents
Peak season in May — 30 degrees, score 444

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, Chengdu is the stronger pick. At $1269/mo it beats Semarang's $825/mo by 35%, and the 244 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Chengdu Semarang

ItemChengduSemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$2.85$1.3

54%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$24.77$9.72

61%

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.05$3.24

36%

Cappuccino (regular)$3.75$1.34

64%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.14$2.48

54%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.85$2.59

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.42$0.42

Water (0.33L)$0.29$0.2

31%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.97$1.13

43%

White bread (500g)$1.46$0.97

34%

White rice (1kg)$1.17$0.81

31%

Eggs (12)$2.15$1.29

40%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$6.16$2.96

52%

Beef round (1kg)$13.33$7.24

46%

Local cheese (1kg)$14.8$6.15

58%

Apples (1kg)$2.01$2.3

13%

Bananas (1kg)$1.43$1.3

Oranges (1kg)$1.39$1.15

17%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.16$0.86

26%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.77$1.15

33%

Onions (1kg)$0.83$1.38

40%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.48$0.55

13%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.62$0.36

42%

Wine, mid-range bottle$7.83$12.15

36%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.06$2.03

48%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.88$2.98

37%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.99$1.94

35%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.43$0.23

47%

Monthly transport pass$26.61$18.18

32%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.28$0.58

55%

Taxi per 1km$0.28$0.32

12%

Taxi 1hr waiting$4.27$2.11

51%

Gasoline (1L)$1.19$0.79

34%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$21,182.4$23,334.86

Toyota Corolla (new)$20,208.69$27,914.38

28%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$36.49$40.19

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$10.57$28.38

63%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.03$0.1

70%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$40.16$29.17

27%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$14.24$12.15

15%

Cinema, 1 ticket$5.69$3.24

43%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$367.75$75.62

79%

International primary school/yr$18,980.64$6,009.65

68%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$83.57$32.39

61%

Summer dress (chain store)$32.52$22.69

30%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$92.12$64.82

30%

Men's leather business shoes$90.75$37.81

58%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$438.93$259.28

41%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$256.24$194.46

24%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$811.42$680.6

16%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$448.42$550.96

19%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$3,855.3$1,215.36

68%

Price per m², outside centre$2,201.05$378.11

83%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$802.58$269

66%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$5.08$8.69

42%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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