Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Davao vs Makassar

Davao vs Makassar

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 38% cheaper Davao +62 Mbps High / N/A

Davao

Maynard/Unsplash

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,361

Davao

$839

Makassar

Internet

Mbps

Safety

High

Davao

N/A

Makassar

Air Quality

5/5

Davao

5/5

Makassar

Healthcare

Moderate

Davao

N/A

Makassar

Population

1.6m

Davao

1.3m

Makassar

Davao (Philippines) 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

Budget-conscious nomads take note: Makassar costs $839/mo, saving 38% compared to Davao's $1361/mo — that's $6264 per year.

For families, Davao costs $1581.506972877436/mo compared to Makassar's $1800.101453918562/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Remote workers will appreciate Davao's 94 Mbps (global #0) — considerably faster than Makassar's 32 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Davao and Makassar.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Davao is October (around 37 degrees, 1mm rain, score 405), 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

DavaoMakassar

Nomad$1,361/mo$839/mo

Expat$789/mo$683/mo

Local$452/mo$514/mo

Family$1,582/mo$1,800/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

DavaoMakassar

City Speed

94 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed94 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

DavaoMakassar

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateN/A

ClimateModerateN/A

Humidity8685

Quality of Life

DavaoMakassar

SafetyHighN/A

HealthcareModerateN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Davao

Makassar

Jan

34°

3mm341

36°

11mm87

Feb

34°

2mm331

37°

4mm210

Mar

36°

2mm372

37°

6mm179

Apr

37°

2mm326

38°

3mm282

May

39°

2mm341

38°

1mm346

Jun

37°

9mm254

36°

1mm348

Jul

35°

4mm341

35°

0mm372

Aug

36°

3mm351

35°

0mm374

Sep

36°

3mm351

37°

0mm354

Oct

37°

1mm405

37°

1mm330

Nov

37°

7mm341

37°

6mm271

Dec

35°

8mm254

33°

16mm41

Who Should Choose Davao?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1361
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1581.506972877436/mo for families
Peak season in October — 37 degrees, score 405

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

For the typical digital nomad, Davao is the stronger pick. At $1361/mo it beats Makassar's $839/mo by 38%, and the 94 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Davao Makassar

ItemDavaoMakassarDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.59$1.3

64%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$26.91$9.72

64%

McMeal or equivalent combo$2.69$3.24

17%

Cappuccino (regular)$2.42$1.78

26%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$0.9$2.07

57%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.26$2.92

57%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.69$0.5

28%

Water (0.33L)$0.41$0.26

37%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.66$1.24

25%

White bread (500g)$1.35$1

26%

White rice (1kg)$0.89$0.82

Eggs (12)$2.13$1.47

31%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$4.52$3.65

19%

Beef round (1kg)$10.23$7.45

27%

Local cheese (1kg)$6.76$5.94

12%

Apples (1kg)$3.43$2.51

27%

Bananas (1kg)$1.29$0.86

33%

Oranges (1kg)$2.28$2.28

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.59$0.8

50%

Potatoes (1kg)$2.29$1.02

55%

Onions (1kg)$3.17$1.73

45%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.54$1.04

32%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.7$0.45

36%

Wine, mid-range bottle$8.97$12.96

31%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.17$2.27

48%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.77$3.52

50%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.69$2.07

23%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.22$0.32

31%

Monthly transport pass—$9.72

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.72$0.58

19%

Taxi per 1km$0.24$0.45

47%

Taxi 1hr waiting$2.15$3.57

40%

Gasoline (1L)$1.34$0.81

40%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$18,839.15$24,955.34

25%

Toyota Corolla (new)$24,909.54$31,761.34

22%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$97$51.2

47%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$39.24$41.59

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.13$0.18

28%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$48.44$25.12

48%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$5.38$9.18

41%

Cinema, 1 ticket$3.95$2.92

26%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo—$53.8

—

International primary school/yr$7,176.82$4,861.43

32%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$65.79$45.36

31%

Summer dress (chain store)$34.09$22.69

33%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$85.67$75.35

12%

Men's leather business shoes$68.78$47.97

30%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$227.27$170.15

25%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$152.51$77.78

49%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$762.54$421.32

45%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$296.04$162.05

45%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$2,332.47$1,296.38

44%

Price per m², outside centre$1,273.39$421.32

67%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$280.66$231.19

18%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$6$10.67

44%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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