Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Dili vs Makassar

Dili vs Makassar

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 59% cheaper Moderate / N/A

Dili

Tanushree Rao/Unsplash

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$2,035

Dili

$839

Makassar

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Dili

N/A

Makassar

Air Quality

5/5

Dili

5/5

Makassar

Healthcare

Moderate

Dili

N/A

Makassar

Population

192.7k

Dili

1.3m

Makassar

Dili (East Timor) 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 — 59% cheaper than Dili's $2035/mo, a saving of $14352 per year.

For families, Dili costs $4023/mo compared to Makassar's $1800.101453918562/mo.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Dili and Makassar.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Dili is July (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 415), 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

DiliMakassar

Nomad$2,035/mo$839/mo

Expat$1,467/mo$683/mo

Local$1,149/mo$514/mo

Family$4,023/mo$1,800/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

DiliMakassar

City Speed

0 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed0 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

DiliMakassar

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighN/A

ClimateN/AN/A

Humidity7785

Quality of Life

DiliMakassar

SafetyModerateN/A

HealthcareModerateN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Dili

Makassar

Jan

37°

2mm323

36°

11mm87

Feb

38°

3mm251

37°

4mm210

Mar

38°

3mm312

37°

6mm179

Apr

38°

2mm323

38°

3mm282

May

38°

1mm371

38°

1mm346

Jun

35°

0mm410

36°

1mm348

Jul

35°

0mm415

35°

0mm372

Aug

35°

0mm415

35°

0mm374

Sep

37°

0mm380

37°

0mm354

Oct

38°

1mm371

37°

1mm330

Nov

40°

4mm333

37°

6mm271

Dec

38°

8mm220

33°

16mm41

Who Should Choose Dili?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 192.7k residents
Peak season in July — 35 degrees, score 415

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, Makassar edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $839/mo it runs 59% cheaper than Dili's $2035/mo, with 32 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Dili Makassar

ItemDiliMakassarDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$5$1.3

74%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$40$9.72

76%

McMeal or equivalent combo$7$3.24

54%

Cappuccino (regular)$2.88$1.78

38%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.75$2.07

25%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3$2.92

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$1.25$0.5

60%

Water (0.33L)$0.88$0.26

70%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.79$1.24

31%

White bread (500g)$1.98$1

49%

White rice (1kg)$2.94$0.82

72%

Eggs (12)$2.4$1.47

39%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$8.5$3.65

57%

Beef round (1kg)$14.5$7.45

49%

Local cheese (1kg)$6$5.94

Apples (1kg)$5$2.51

50%

Bananas (1kg)$2.17$0.86

60%

Oranges (1kg)$3.67$2.28

38%

Tomatoes (1kg)$2.33$0.8

66%

Potatoes (1kg)$1$1.02

Onions (1kg)$2.33$1.73

26%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.83$1.04

20%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.53$0.45

15%

Wine, mid-range bottle$13.5$12.96

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.94$2.27

15%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.33$3.52

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.62$2.07

22%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.25$0.32

22%

Monthly transport pass—$9.72

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$3$0.58

81%

Taxi per 1km$3$0.45

85%

Taxi 1hr waiting$15$3.57

76%

Gasoline (1L)$0.98$0.81

17%

Volkswagen Golf (new)—$24,955.34

—

Toyota Corolla (new)—$31,761.34

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$112.5$51.2

54%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$82.5$41.59

50%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.11$0.18

39%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$64$25.12

61%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$11.25$9.18

18%

Cinema, 1 ticket$6$2.92

51%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$333.33$53.8

84%

International primary school/yr$18,666.67$4,861.43

74%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$61.67$45.36

26%

Summer dress (chain store)$50$22.69

55%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$76.25$75.35

Men's leather business shoes$62.5$47.97

23%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$680$170.15

75%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$625$77.78

88%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$2,450$421.32

83%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,566.67$162.05

90%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$4,666.67$1,296.38

72%

Price per m², outside centre$4,000$421.32

89%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$3,500$231.19

93%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)—$10.67

—

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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