Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Colombo vs Semarang

Colombo vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 38% cheaper Semarang +11 Mbps Moderate / Moderate

Colombo

Zoshua Colah/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,341

Colombo

$825

Semarang

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Colombo

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Colombo

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

Moderate

Colombo

Moderate

Semarang

Population

647.1k

Colombo

1.6m

Semarang

Colombo (Sri Lanka) 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 38% compared to Colombo's $1341/mo — that's $6192 per year.

For families, Colombo costs $1421.559057348284/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Remote workers will appreciate Semarang's 32 Mbps (global #0) — considerably faster than Colombo's 21 Mbps (#165).

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Colombo and Semarang.

Monthly Weather Comparison

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

ColomboSemarang

Nomad$1,341/mo$825/mo

Expat$713/mo$603/mo

Local$406/mo$459/mo

Family$1,422/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

ColomboSemarang

City Speed

21 Mbps#165

32 Mbps

Country Speed24 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

ColomboSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateModerate

ClimateModerateModerate

Humidity7888

Quality of Life

ColomboSemarang

SafetyModerateModerate

HealthcareModerateModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Colombo

Semarang

Jan

36°

1mm402

34°

8mm237

Feb

39°

1mm405

35°

5mm222

Mar

38°

0mm418

36°

6mm253

Apr

39°

3mm361

37°

5mm319

May

37°

22mm197

37°

1mm373

Jun

35°

8mm158

36°

1mm368

Jul

35°

6mm197

35°

0mm397

Aug

34°

5mm197

36°

0mm397

Sep

34°

6mm220

36°

0mm397

Oct

34°

7mm166

37°

0mm382

Nov

35°

9mm274

36°

7mm319

Dec

35°

2mm381

34°

15mm207

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 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, Semarang is the stronger pick. At $825/mo it beats Colombo's $1341/mo by 38%, and the 32 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Colombo Semarang

ItemColomboSemarangDiff

🍽️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$1.34

17%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.63$2.48

34%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.87$2.59

10%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.94$0.42

55%

Water (0.33L)$0.65$0.2

69%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1$1.13

12%

White bread (500g)$1.24$0.97

22%

White rice (1kg)$1.11$0.81

27%

Eggs (12)$1.8$1.29

28%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.87$2.96

24%

Beef round (1kg)$8.34$7.24

13%

Local cheese (1kg)$8.21$6.15

25%

Apples (1kg)$1.38$2.3

40%

Bananas (1kg)$0.88$1.3

32%

Oranges (1kg)$0.77$1.15

33%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.33$0.86

35%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.92$1.15

20%

Onions (1kg)$0.85$1.38

38%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.59$0.55

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.64$0.36

44%

Wine, mid-range bottle$7.66$12.15

37%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.04$2.03

49%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.31$2.98

22%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.94$1.94

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket—$0.23

—

Monthly transport pass—$18.18

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.03$0.58

44%

Taxi per 1km$0.48$0.32

33%

Taxi 1hr waiting$4.6$2.11

54%

Gasoline (1L)$1.27$0.79

38%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$17,893.82$23,334.86

23%

Toyota Corolla (new)$25,752.36$27,914.38

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$64.4$40.19

38%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$22.36$28.38

21%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.2$0.1

50%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly—$29.17

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)—$12.15

—

Cinema, 1 ticket$5.94$3.24

45%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$275.89$75.62

73%

International primary school/yr$6,233.16$6,009.65

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$46.76$32.39

31%

Summer dress (chain store)$42.3$22.69

46%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$68.47$64.82

Men's leather business shoes$53.5$37.81

29%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre—$259.28

—

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre—$194.46

—

3-bedroom apartment, city centre—$680.6

—

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre—$550.96

—

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre—$1,215.36

—

Price per m², outside centre—$378.11

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary—$269

—

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$8.57$8.69

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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