Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Colombo vs Makassar

Colombo vs Makassar

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 37% cheaper Makassar +11 Mbps Moderate / N/A

Colombo

Zoshua Colah/Unsplash

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,341

Colombo

$839

Makassar

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Colombo

N/A

Makassar

Air Quality

5/5

Colombo

5/5

Makassar

Healthcare

Moderate

Colombo

N/A

Makassar

Population

647.1k

Colombo

1.3m

Makassar

Colombo (Sri Lanka) 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

Makassar is the clear budget winner at $839/mo — 37% cheaper than Colombo's $1341/mo, a saving of $6024 per year.

For families, Colombo costs $1421.559057348284/mo compared to Makassar's $1800.101453918562/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Makassar leads on internet connectivity at 32 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Colombo's 21 Mbps (#165). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Colombo and Makassar.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Colombo is March (around 38 degrees, 0mm rain, score 418), 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

ColomboMakassar

Nomad$1,341/mo$839/mo

Expat$713/mo$683/mo

Local$406/mo$514/mo

Family$1,422/mo$1,800/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

ColomboMakassar

City Speed

21 Mbps#165

32 Mbps

Country Speed24 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

ColomboMakassar

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateN/A

ClimateModerateN/A

Humidity7885

Quality of Life

ColomboMakassar

SafetyModerateN/A

HealthcareModerateN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Colombo

Makassar

Jan

36°

1mm402

36°

11mm87

Feb

39°

1mm405

37°

4mm210

Mar

38°

0mm418

37°

6mm179

Apr

39°

3mm361

38°

3mm282

May

37°

22mm197

38°

1mm346

Jun

35°

8mm158

36°

1mm348

Jul

35°

6mm197

35°

0mm372

Aug

34°

5mm197

35°

0mm374

Sep

34°

6mm220

37°

0mm354

Oct

34°

7mm166

37°

1mm330

Nov

35°

9mm274

37°

6mm271

Dec

35°

2mm381

33°

16mm41

Who Should Choose Colombo?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1341
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1421.559057348284/mo for families
Peak season in March — 38 degrees, score 418

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

Overall, Colombo edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1341/mo it runs 37% cheaper than Makassar's $839/mo, with 21 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Colombo Makassar

ItemColomboMakassarDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$4.79$1.3

73%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$28.74$9.72

66%

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.75$3.24

44%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.61$1.78

10%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.63$2.07

21%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.87$2.92

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.94$0.5

47%

Water (0.33L)$0.65$0.26

60%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1$1.24

19%

White bread (500g)$1.24$1

19%

White rice (1kg)$1.11$0.82

26%

Eggs (12)$1.8$1.47

18%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.87$3.65

Beef round (1kg)$8.34$7.45

11%

Local cheese (1kg)$8.21$5.94

28%

Apples (1kg)$1.38$2.51

45%

Bananas (1kg)$0.88$0.86

Oranges (1kg)$0.77$2.28

66%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.33$0.8

40%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.92$1.02

10%

Onions (1kg)$0.85$1.73

51%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.59$1.04

43%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.64$0.45

30%

Wine, mid-range bottle$7.66$12.96

41%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.04$2.27

54%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.31$3.52

34%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.94$2.07

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket—$0.32

—

Monthly transport pass—$9.72

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.03$0.58

44%

Taxi per 1km$0.48$0.45

Taxi 1hr waiting$4.6$3.57

22%

Gasoline (1L)$1.27$0.81

36%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$17,893.82$24,955.34

28%

Toyota Corolla (new)$25,752.36$31,761.34

19%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$64.4$51.2

20%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$22.36$41.59

46%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.2$0.18

10%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly—$25.12

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)—$9.18

—

Cinema, 1 ticket$5.94$2.92

51%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$275.89$53.8

80%

International primary school/yr$6,233.16$4,861.43

22%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$46.76$45.36

Summer dress (chain store)$42.3$22.69

46%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$68.47$75.35

Men's leather business shoes$53.5$47.97

10%

🏠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)$8.57$10.67

20%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

Related Comparisons