Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Dalian vs Makassar

Dalian vs Makassar

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 53% cheaper Dalian +212 Mbps High / N/A

Dalian

Chuck Eugene/Unsplash

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,794

Dalian

$839

Makassar

Internet

244

Mbps

Safety

High

Dalian

N/A

Makassar

Air Quality

5/5

Dalian

5/5

Makassar

Healthcare

Moderate

Dalian

N/A

Makassar

Population

3.2m

Dalian

1.3m

Makassar

Dalian (China) 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 — 53% cheaper than Dalian's $1794/mo, a saving of $11460 per year.

For families, Dalian costs $2289.557180777525/mo compared to Makassar's $1800.101453918562/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

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

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Dalian and Makassar.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Dalian is June (around 26 degrees, 0mm rain, score 421), 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

DalianMakassar

Nomad$1,794/mo$839/mo

Expat$1,106/mo$683/mo

Local$654/mo$514/mo

Family$2,290/mo$1,800/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

DalianMakassar

City Speed

244 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed244 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

DalianMakassar

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighN/A

ClimateModerateN/A

Humidity5585

Quality of Life

DalianMakassar

SafetyHighN/A

HealthcareModerateN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Dalian

Makassar

Jan

-3°

0mm361

36°

11mm87

Feb

-5°

0mm361

37°

4mm210

Mar

4°

0mm361

37°

6mm179

Apr

15°

0mm381

38°

3mm282

May

20°

0mm401

38°

1mm346

Jun

26°

0mm421

36°

1mm348

Jul

31°

1mm402

35°

0mm372

Aug

35°

1mm392

35°

0mm374

Sep

26°

0mm421

37°

0mm354

Oct

17°

0mm381

37°

1mm330

Nov

9°

0mm371

37°

6mm271

Dec

-1°

0mm361

33°

16mm41

Who Should Choose Dalian?

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 $2289.557180777525/mo for families
Major city energy with 3.2m residents
Peak season in June — 26 degrees, score 421

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, Dalian edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1794/mo it runs 53% cheaper than Makassar's $839/mo, with 244 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Dalian Makassar

ItemDalianMakassarDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.56$1.3

63%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$28.47$9.72

66%

McMeal or equivalent combo$4.98$3.24

35%

Cappuccino (regular)$4.18$1.78

57%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$0.85$2.07

59%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.71$2.92

41%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.5$0.5

Water (0.33L)$0.31$0.26

16%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.69$1.24

27%

White bread (500g)$1.24$1

19%

White rice (1kg)$0.9$0.82

Eggs (12)$1.77$1.47

17%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.58$3.65

Beef round (1kg)$10.3$7.45

28%

Local cheese (1kg)$18.93$5.94

69%

Apples (1kg)$1.21$2.51

52%

Bananas (1kg)$1.09$0.86

21%

Oranges (1kg)$1.45$2.28

36%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.89$0.8

10%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.59$1.02

42%

Onions (1kg)$0.78$1.73

55%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.74$1.04

29%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.59$0.45

24%

Wine, mid-range bottle$8.54$12.96

34%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.62$2.27

73%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.45$3.52

59%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.99$2.07

31%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.28$0.32

12%

Monthly transport pass$25.62$9.72

62%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.42$0.58

59%

Taxi per 1km$0.43$0.45

Taxi 1hr waiting$6.26$3.57

43%

Gasoline (1L)$1.23$0.81

34%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$18,363.77$24,955.34

26%

Toyota Corolla (new)$16,718.28$31,761.34

47%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$37.98$51.2

26%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$9.89$41.59

76%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.04$0.18

78%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$110.32$25.12

77%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$34.88$9.18

74%

Cinema, 1 ticket$7.12$2.92

59%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$516.04$53.8

90%

International primary school/yr$13,241.65$4,861.43

63%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$64.91$45.36

30%

Summer dress (chain store)$33.03$22.69

31%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$91.36$75.35

18%

Men's leather business shoes$63.22$47.97

24%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$409.4$170.15

58%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$249.2$77.78

69%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,085.46$421.32

61%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$462.79$162.05

65%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$3,894.83$1,296.38

67%

Price per m², outside centre$1,708.89$421.32

75%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$729.89$231.19

68%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$6.42$10.67

40%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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