Explore Cities/Compare Cities/General Santos vs Makassar

General Santos vs Makassar

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 32% cheaper General Santos +62 Mbps N/A / N/A
Nomad Cost

$1,230

General Santos

$839

Makassar

Internet

94

Mbps

32

Mbps

Safety

N/A

General Santos

N/A

Makassar

Air Quality

5/5

General Santos

5/5

Makassar

Healthcare

N/A

General Santos

N/A

Makassar

Population

594.4k

General Santos

1.3m

Makassar

General Santos (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

Makassar is the clear budget winner at $839/mo — 32% cheaper than General Santos's $1230/mo, a saving of $4692 per year.

For families, General Santos costs $946.124726490905/mo compared to Makassar's $1800.101453918562/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

General Santos leads on internet connectivity at 94 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Makassar's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both General Santos and Makassar.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit General Santos is March (around 34 degrees, 0mm rain, score 362), 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

General SantosMakassar
Nomad$1,230/mo$839/mo
Expat$486/mo$683/mo
Local$270/mo$514/mo
Family$946/mo$1,800/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

General SantosMakassar
City Speed
94 Mbps
32 Mbps
Country Speed94 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

General SantosMakassar
Air Quality Score5/55/5
PollutionN/AN/A
ClimateN/AN/A
Humidity7985

Quality of Life

General SantosMakassar
SafetyN/AN/A
HealthcareN/AN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

General Santos
Makassar
Jan
32°
2mm295
36°
11mm87
Feb
32°
2mm305
37°
4mm210
Mar
34°
0mm362
37°
6mm179
Apr
35°
1mm323
38°
3mm282
May
35°
2mm295
38°
1mm346
Jun
33°
12mm180
36°
1mm348
Jul
32°
15mm172
35°
0mm372
Aug
33°
6mm274
35°
0mm374
Sep
33°
5mm279
37°
0mm354
Oct
33°
2mm285
37°
1mm330
Nov
34°
3mm295
37°
6mm271
Dec
33°
10mm187
33°
16mm41

Who Should Choose General Santos?

  • Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1230
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Family-friendly at $946.124726490905/mo for families
  • Peak season in March — 34 degrees, score 362

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, General Santos edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1230/mo it runs 32% cheaper than Makassar's $839/mo, with 94 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

General Santos Makassar
ItemGeneral SantosMakassarDiff
🍽️Restaurants8 items
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$4.04$1.3
68%
Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$9.87$9.72
2%
McMeal or equivalent combo$2.6$3.24
20%
Cappuccino (regular)$2.15$1.78
17%
Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.12$2.07
46%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.35$2.92
54%
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.31$0.5
38%
Water (0.33L)$0.27$0.26
4%
🛒Markets19 items
Milk (1L)$1.44$1.24
14%
White bread (500g)$0.9$1
10%
White rice (1kg)$0.9$0.82
9%
Eggs (12)$1.29$1.47
12%
Chicken fillets (1kg)$2.96$3.65
19%
Beef round (1kg)$6.28$7.45
16%
Local cheese (1kg)$8.97$5.94
34%
Apples (1kg)$3.59$2.51
30%
Bananas (1kg)$1.35$0.86
36%
Oranges (1kg)$2.69$2.28
15%
Tomatoes (1kg)$0.45$0.8
44%
Potatoes (1kg)$0.9$1.02
12%
Onions (1kg)$1.35$1.73
22%
Lettuce (1 head)$0.81$1.04
22%
Water (1.5L bottle)$0.54$0.45
17%
Wine, mid-range bottle$6.28$12.96
52%
Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.09$2.27
52%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.79$3.52
49%
Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.24$2.07
8%
🚌Transport8 items
One-way local transport ticket$0.16$0.32
50%
Monthly transport pass$15.6$9.72
38%
Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.81$0.58
28%
Taxi per 1km$0.22$0.45
51%
Taxi 1hr waiting$2.24$3.57
37%
Gasoline (1L)$1.31$0.81
38%
Volkswagen Golf (new)$20,633.36$24,955.34
17%
Toyota Corolla (new)$20,932.39$31,761.34
34%
⚡Utilities3 items
Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$76.25$51.2
33%
Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$44.86$41.59
7%
Mobile prepaid per minute$0.16$0.18
11%
🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items
Fitness club, monthly$19.74$25.12
21%
Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$5.38$9.18
41%
Cinema, 1 ticket$3.23$2.92
10%
👶Childcare2 items
Preschool, full-day private/mo$85.97$53.8
37%
International primary school/yr$1,417.42$4,861.43
71%
👗Clothing4 items
Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$44.86$45.36
1%
Summer dress (chain store)$15.97$22.69
30%
Nike running shoes (mid-range)$71.77$75.35
5%
Men's leather business shoes$71.77$47.97
33%
🏠Rent4 items
1-bedroom apartment, city centre$143.54$170.15
16%
1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$89.71$77.78
13%
3-bedroom apartment, city centre$358.84$421.32
15%
3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$179.42$162.05
10%
🏗️Buy2 items
Price per m², city centre$941.96$1,296.38
27%
Price per m², outside centre$627.97$421.32
33%
💰Finance2 items
Average monthly net salary$269.13$231.19
14%
Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$6.5$10.67
39%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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