Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Daegu vs Semarang

Daegu vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 59% cheaper Daegu +167 Mbps High / Moderate

Daegu

HFNY4/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$2,031

Daegu

$825

Semarang

Internet

199

Mbps

Safety

High

Daegu

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Daegu

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

Moderate

Daegu

Moderate

Semarang

Population

2.5m

Daegu

1.6m

Semarang

Daegu (South Korea) 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 — 59% cheaper than Daegu's $2031/mo, a saving of $14472 per year.

For families, Daegu costs $2319.176540364345/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Daegu leads on internet connectivity at 199 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Daegu and Semarang.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Daegu is May (around 26 degrees, 0mm rain, score 429), 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

DaeguSemarang

Nomad$2,031/mo$825/mo

Expat$1,141/mo$603/mo

Local$663/mo$459/mo

Family$2,319/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

DaeguSemarang

City Speed

199 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed199 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

DaeguSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighModerate

ClimateHighModerate

Humidity3588

Quality of Life

DaeguSemarang

SafetyHighModerate

HealthcareModerateModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Daegu

Semarang

Jan

3°

0mm369

34°

8mm237

Feb

4°

0mm367

35°

5mm222

Mar

10°

0mm377

36°

6mm253

Apr

19°

0mm409

37°

5mm319

May

26°

0mm429

37°

1mm373

Jun

31°

0mm429

36°

1mm368

Jul

36°

2mm405

35°

0mm397

Aug

40°

1mm375

36°

0mm397

Sep

36°

0mm419

36°

0mm397

Oct

21°

0mm407

37°

0mm382

Nov

13°

0mm389

36°

7mm319

Dec

2°

0mm369

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Daegu?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 199 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2319.176540364345/mo for families
Major city energy with 2.5m residents
Peak season in May — 26 degrees, score 429

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, Daegu edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $2031/mo it runs 59% cheaper than Semarang's $825/mo, with 199 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Daegu Semarang

ItemDaeguSemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$5.38$1.3

76%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$28.04$9.72

65%

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.38$3.24

40%

Cappuccino (regular)$3.38$1.34

60%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$3.07$2.48

19%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.84$2.59

33%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$1.27$0.42

67%

Water (0.33L)$0.67$0.2

70%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$2.31$1.13

51%

White bread (500g)$2.75$0.97

65%

White rice (1kg)$3.07$0.81

74%

Eggs (12)$3.17$1.29

59%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$5.68$2.96

48%

Beef round (1kg)$19.95$7.24

64%

Local cheese (1kg)$9.67$6.15

36%

Apples (1kg)$5.76$2.3

60%

Bananas (1kg)$3.19$1.3

59%

Oranges (1kg)$3.84$1.15

70%

Tomatoes (1kg)$3.46$0.86

75%

Potatoes (1kg)$3.33$1.15

65%

Onions (1kg)$2.3$1.38

40%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.54$0.55

64%

Water (1.5L bottle)$1.08$0.36

67%

Wine, mid-range bottle$15.36$12.15

21%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.3$2.03

12%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.56$2.98

14%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$3.46$1.94

44%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.96$0.23

76%

Monthly transport pass$26.89$18.18

32%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$2.54$0.58

77%

Taxi per 1km$0.61$0.32

48%

Taxi 1hr waiting$8.64$2.11

76%

Gasoline (1L)$1.32$0.79

40%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$25,274.78$23,334.86

Toyota Corolla (new)$23,815.14$27,914.38

15%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$131.06$40.19

69%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$20.49$28.38

28%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.1$0.1

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$46.09$29.17

37%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$21.13$12.15

42%

Cinema, 1 ticket$8.83$3.24

63%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$320.1$75.62

76%

International primary school/yr$18,693.61$6,009.65

68%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$59.54$32.39

46%

Summer dress (chain store)$42.25$22.69

46%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$82.58$64.82

22%

Men's leather business shoes$89.63$37.81

58%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$355.31$259.28

27%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$220.87$194.46

12%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,363.61$680.6

50%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$979.49$550.96

44%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$5,158.12$1,215.36

76%

Price per m², outside centre$5,531.26$378.11

93%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$1,868.72$269

86%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$3.32$8.69

62%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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