Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Davao vs Semarang

Davao vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 39% cheaper Davao +62 Mbps High / Moderate

Davao

Maynard/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,361

Davao

$825

Semarang

Internet

Mbps

Safety

High

Davao

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Davao

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

Moderate

Davao

Moderate

Semarang

Population

1.6m

Davao

1.6m

Semarang

Davao (Philippines) 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

The monthly savings are substantial — Semarang at $825/mo costs 39% less than Davao at $1361/mo, adding up to $6432 over a year.

For families, Davao costs $1581.506972877436/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

For bandwidth-intensive work, Davao has a clear edge at 94 Mbps (#0 globally) compared to Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

Davao 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 Davao and Semarang.

Monthly Weather Comparison

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

DavaoSemarang

Nomad$1,361/mo$825/mo

Expat$789/mo$603/mo

Local$452/mo$459/mo

Family$1,582/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

DavaoSemarang

City Speed

94 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed94 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

DavaoSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateModerate

ClimateModerateModerate

Humidity8688

Quality of Life

DavaoSemarang

SafetyHighModerate

HealthcareModerateModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Davao

Semarang

Jan

34°

3mm341

34°

8mm237

Feb

34°

2mm331

35°

5mm222

Mar

36°

2mm372

36°

6mm253

Apr

37°

2mm326

37°

5mm319

May

39°

2mm341

37°

1mm373

Jun

37°

9mm254

36°

1mm368

Jul

35°

4mm341

35°

0mm397

Aug

36°

3mm351

36°

0mm397

Sep

36°

3mm351

36°

0mm397

Oct

37°

1mm405

37°

0mm382

Nov

37°

7mm341

36°

7mm319

Dec

35°

8mm254

34°

15mm207

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 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

The data favors Davao as the more well-rounded choice. At $1361/mo versus Semarang's $825/mo, that is a 39% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Davao Semarang

ItemDavaoSemarangDiff

🍽️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$1.34

45%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$0.9$2.48

64%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.26$2.59

51%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.69$0.42

39%

Water (0.33L)$0.41$0.2

51%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.66$1.13

32%

White bread (500g)$1.35$0.97

28%

White rice (1kg)$0.89$0.81

Eggs (12)$2.13$1.29

39%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$4.52$2.96

35%

Beef round (1kg)$10.23$7.24

29%

Local cheese (1kg)$6.76$6.15

Apples (1kg)$3.43$2.3

33%

Bananas (1kg)$1.29$1.3

Oranges (1kg)$2.28$1.15

50%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.59$0.86

46%

Potatoes (1kg)$2.29$1.15

50%

Onions (1kg)$3.17$1.38

56%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.54$0.55

64%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.7$0.36

49%

Wine, mid-range bottle$8.97$12.15

26%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.17$2.03

42%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.77$2.98

41%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.69$1.94

28%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.22$0.23

Monthly transport pass—$18.18

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.72$0.58

19%

Taxi per 1km$0.24$0.32

25%

Taxi 1hr waiting$2.15$2.11

Gasoline (1L)$1.34$0.79

41%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$18,839.15$23,334.86

19%

Toyota Corolla (new)$24,909.54$27,914.38

11%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$97$40.19

59%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$39.24$28.38

28%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.13$0.1

23%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$48.44$29.17

40%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$5.38$12.15

56%

Cinema, 1 ticket$3.95$3.24

18%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo—$75.62

—

International primary school/yr$7,176.82$6,009.65

16%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$65.79$32.39

51%

Summer dress (chain store)$34.09$22.69

33%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$85.67$64.82

24%

Men's leather business shoes$68.78$37.81

45%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$227.27$259.28

12%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$152.51$194.46

22%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$762.54$680.6

11%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$296.04$550.96

46%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$2,332.47$1,215.36

48%

Price per m², outside centre$1,273.39$378.11

70%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$280.66$269

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$6$8.69

31%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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