Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Chiang Mai vs Makassar

Chiang Mai vs Makassar

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 24% cheaper Chiang Mai +206 Mbps High / N/A

Chiang Mai

Bharath Mohan/Unsplash

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,106

Chiang Mai

$839

Makassar

Internet

238

Mbps

Safety

High

Chiang Mai

N/A

Makassar

Air Quality

5/5

Chiang Mai

5/5

Makassar

Healthcare

High

Chiang Mai

N/A

Makassar

Population

398.2k

Chiang Mai

1.3m

Makassar

Chiang Mai (Thailand) and Makassar (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: Makassar costs $839/mo, saving 24% compared to Chiang Mai's $1106/mo — that's $3204 per year.

For families, Chiang Mai costs $1606.705593573341/mo compared to Makassar's $1800.101453918562/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Remote workers will appreciate Chiang Mai's 238 Mbps (global #0) — considerably faster than Makassar's 32 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

Both Chiang Mai and Makassar share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Chiang Mai and Makassar.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Chiang Mai is January (around 30 degrees, 0mm rain, score 488), while Makassar peaks in August (35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

Chiang MaiMakassar

Nomad$1,106/mo$839/mo

Expat$724/mo$683/mo

Local$459/mo$514/mo

Family$1,607/mo$1,800/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

Chiang MaiMakassar

City Speed

238 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed238 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

Chiang MaiMakassar

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighN/A

ClimateHighN/A

Humidity2685

Quality of Life

Chiang MaiMakassar

SafetyHighN/A

HealthcareHighN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Chiang Mai

Makassar

Jan

30°

0mm488

36°

11mm87

Feb

33°

0mm488

37°

4mm210

Mar

37°

0mm438

37°

6mm179

Apr

42°

0mm438

38°

3mm282

May

41°

5mm387

38°

1mm346

Jun

38°

8mm309

36°

1mm348

Jul

37°

15mm262

35°

0mm372

Aug

37°

13mm247

35°

0mm374

Sep

38°

5mm401

37°

0mm354

Oct

36°

1mm460

37°

1mm330

Nov

33°

0mm488

37°

6mm271

Dec

31°

0mm488

33°

16mm41

Who Should Choose Chiang Mai?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1106
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 238 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1606.705593573341/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 398.2k residents
Peak season in January — 30 degrees, score 488

Who Should Choose Makassar?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $839
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1800.101453918562/mo for families
Peak season in August — 35 degrees, score 374

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Chiang Mai is the stronger pick. At $1106/mo it beats Makassar's $839/mo by 24%, and the 238 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Chiang Mai Makassar

ItemChiang MaiMakassarDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant—$1.3

—

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

—

McMeal or equivalent combo—$3.24

—

Cappuccino (regular)—$1.78

—

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)—$2.07

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)—$2.92

—

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)—$0.5

—

Water (0.33L)—$0.26

—

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)—$1.24

—

White bread (500g)—$1

—

White rice (1kg)—$0.82

—

Eggs (12)—$1.47

—

Chicken fillets (1kg)—$3.65

—

Beef round (1kg)—$7.45

—

Local cheese (1kg)—$5.94

—

Apples (1kg)—$2.51

—

Bananas (1kg)—$0.86

—

Oranges (1kg)—$2.28

—

Tomatoes (1kg)—$0.8

—

Potatoes (1kg)—$1.02

—

Onions (1kg)—$1.73

—

Lettuce (1 head)—$1.04

—

Water (1.5L bottle)—$0.45

—

Wine, mid-range bottle—$12.96

—

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)—$2.27

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)—$3.52

—

Cigarettes (pack of 20)—$2.07

—

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket—$0.32

—

Monthly transport pass—$9.72

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)—$0.58

—

Taxi per 1km—$0.45

—

Taxi 1hr waiting—$3.57

—

Gasoline (1L)—$0.81

—

Volkswagen Golf (new)—$24,955.34

—

Toyota Corolla (new)—$31,761.34

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo—$51.2

—

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo—$41.59

—

Mobile prepaid per minute—$0.18

—

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly—$25.12

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)—$9.18

—

Cinema, 1 ticket—$2.92

—

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo—$53.8

—

International primary school/yr—$4,861.43

—

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)—$45.36

—

Summer dress (chain store)—$22.69

—

Nike running shoes (mid-range)—$75.35

—

Men's leather business shoes—$47.97

—

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre—$170.15

—

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre—$77.78

—

3-bedroom apartment, city centre—$421.32

—

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre—$162.05

—

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre—$1,296.38

—

Price per m², outside centre—$421.32

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary—$231.19

—

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)—$10.67

—

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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