Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Chongqing vs Semarang

Chongqing vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 38% cheaper Chongqing +212 Mbps High / Moderate

Chongqing

Ming Chen/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,331

Chongqing

$825

Semarang

Internet

244

Mbps

Safety

High

Chongqing

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Chongqing

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

High

Chongqing

Moderate

Semarang

Population

30.2m

Chongqing

1.6m

Semarang

Chongqing (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

Semarang is the clear budget winner at $825/mo — 38% cheaper than Chongqing's $1331/mo, a saving of $6072 per year.

For families, Chongqing costs $1639.523309185423/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Chongqing leads on internet connectivity at 244 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

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

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Chongqing is June (around 34 degrees, 1mm rain, score 428), 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

ChongqingSemarang

Nomad$1,331/mo$825/mo

Expat$763/mo$603/mo

Local$468/mo$459/mo

Family$1,640/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

ChongqingSemarang

City Speed

244 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed244 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

ChongqingSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighModerate

ClimateHighModerate

Humidity8388

Quality of Life

ChongqingSemarang

SafetyHighModerate

HealthcareHighModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Chongqing

Semarang

Jan

13°

0mm374

34°

8mm237

Feb

10°

0mm386

35°

5mm222

Mar

20°

0mm394

36°

6mm253

Apr

27°

5mm356

37°

5mm319

May

30°

2mm366

37°

1mm373

Jun

34°

1mm428

36°

1mm368

Jul

40°

2mm400

35°

0mm397

Aug

42°

0mm388

36°

0mm397

Sep

41°

0mm376

36°

0mm397

Oct

24°

1mm367

37°

0mm382

Nov

19°

1mm341

36°

7mm319

Dec

10°

0mm386

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Chongqing?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1331
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 $1639.523309185423/mo for families
Major city energy with 30.2m residents
Peak season in June — 34 degrees, score 428

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, Chongqing edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1331/mo it runs 38% cheaper than Semarang's $825/mo, with 244 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Chongqing Semarang

ItemChongqingSemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$2.85$1.3

54%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$17.08$9.72

43%

McMeal or equivalent combo$4.84$3.24

33%

Cappuccino (regular)$3.75$1.34

64%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$0.85$2.48

66%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.85$2.59

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.42$0.42

Water (0.33L)$0.27$0.2

26%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.83$1.13

38%

White bread (500g)$1.36$0.97

29%

White rice (1kg)$0.93$0.81

13%

Eggs (12)$1.88$1.29

31%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.63$2.96

18%

Beef round (1kg)$12.74$7.24

43%

Local cheese (1kg)$9.73$6.15

37%

Apples (1kg)$1.71$2.3

26%

Bananas (1kg)$1.3$1.3

Oranges (1kg)$1.32$1.15

13%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.07$0.86

20%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.64$1.15

44%

Onions (1kg)$1.21$1.38

12%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.47$0.55

15%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.54$0.36

33%

Wine, mid-range bottle$4.98$12.15

59%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.74$2.03

64%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.04$2.98

32%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$3.56$1.94

46%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.43$0.23

47%

Monthly transport pass$56.94$18.18

68%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.42$0.58

59%

Taxi per 1km$0.36$0.32

11%

Taxi 1hr waiting$2.73$2.11

23%

Gasoline (1L)$1.19$0.79

34%

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

Toyota Corolla (new)$17,054.11$27,914.38

39%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$45.92$40.19

12%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$10.91$28.38

62%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.02$0.1

80%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$27.51$29.17

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$7.12$12.15

41%

Cinema, 1 ticket$4.98$3.24

35%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$355.89$75.62

79%

International primary school/yr$21,353.23$6,009.65

72%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$31.67$32.39

Summer dress (chain store)$23.23$22.69

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$73.5$64.82

12%

Men's leather business shoes$55.52$37.81

32%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$273.32$259.28

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$167.27$194.46

14%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$444.93$680.6

35%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$309.62$550.96

44%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$2,763.72$1,215.36

56%

Price per m², outside centre$1,850.61$378.11

80%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$747.36$269

64%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$5.33$8.69

39%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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