Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Guangzhou vs Semarang

Guangzhou vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 37% cheaper Guangzhou +212 Mbps High / Moderate

Guangzhou

Lan Lin/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,314

Guangzhou

$825

Semarang

Internet

244

Mbps

Safety

High

Guangzhou

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Guangzhou

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

Moderate

Guangzhou

Moderate

Semarang

Population

14.5m

Guangzhou

1.6m

Semarang

Guangzhou (China) 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 37% less than Guangzhou at $1314/mo, adding up to $5868 over a year.

For families, Guangzhou costs $2318.02832771111/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

For bandwidth-intensive work, Guangzhou has a clear edge at 244 Mbps (#0 globally) compared to Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

Guangzhou 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 Guangzhou and Semarang.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Guangzhou is October (around 31 degrees, 0mm rain, score 449), 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

GuangzhouSemarang

Nomad$1,314/mo$825/mo

Expat$887/mo$603/mo

Local$662/mo$459/mo

Family$2,318/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

GuangzhouSemarang

City Speed

244 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed244 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

GuangzhouSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighModerate

ClimateHighModerate

Humidity4188

Quality of Life

GuangzhouSemarang

SafetyHighModerate

HealthcareModerateModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Guangzhou

Semarang

Jan

22°

0mm429

34°

8mm237

Feb

23°

1mm406

35°

5mm222

Mar

24°

1mm368

36°

6mm253

Apr

32°

17mm239

37°

5mm319

May

34°

6mm255

37°

1mm373

Jun

37°

10mm224

36°

1mm368

Jul

39°

5mm337

35°

0mm397

Aug

39°

7mm327

36°

0mm397

Sep

38°

6mm352

36°

0mm397

Oct

31°

0mm449

37°

0mm382

Nov

26°

0mm449

36°

7mm319

Dec

18°

0mm429

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Guangzhou?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1314
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 $2318.02832771111/mo for families
Major city energy with 14.5m residents
Peak season in October — 31 degrees, score 449

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 Guangzhou as the more well-rounded choice. At $1314/mo versus Semarang's $825/mo, that is a 37% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Guangzhou Semarang

ItemGuangzhouSemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$4.13$1.3

69%

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

66%

McMeal or equivalent combo$4.98$3.24

35%

Cappuccino (regular)$3.54$1.34

62%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$0.85$2.48

66%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.71$2.59

34%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.44$0.42

Water (0.33L)$0.33$0.2

39%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.91$1.13

41%

White bread (500g)$1.63$0.97

40%

White rice (1kg)$1.03$0.81

21%

Eggs (12)$1.71$1.29

25%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.77$2.96

21%

Beef round (1kg)$11.75$7.24

38%

Local cheese (1kg)$9$6.15

32%

Apples (1kg)$2.02$2.3

12%

Bananas (1kg)$1.44$1.3

10%

Oranges (1kg)$1.82$1.15

37%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.31$0.86

34%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.74$1.15

36%

Onions (1kg)$1$1.38

28%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.49$0.55

11%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.51$0.36

29%

Wine, mid-range bottle$11.39$12.15

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.95$2.03

53%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.26$2.98

24%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$3.7$1.94

48%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.36$0.23

36%

Monthly transport pass$28.47$18.18

36%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.71$0.58

66%

Taxi per 1km$0.37$0.32

14%

Taxi 1hr waiting$6.26$2.11

66%

Gasoline (1L)$1.19$0.79

34%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$21,353.23$23,334.86

Toyota Corolla (new)$21,381.7$27,914.38

23%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$59.65$40.19

33%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$16.66$28.38

41%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.02$0.1

80%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$34.17$29.17

15%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$18.98$12.15

36%

Cinema, 1 ticket$8.54$3.24

62%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$555.18$75.62

86%

International primary school/yr$24,556.21$6,009.65

76%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$63.43$32.39

49%

Summer dress (chain store)$33.83$22.69

33%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$66.73$64.82

Men's leather business shoes$43.89$37.81

14%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$533.28$259.28

51%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$317.45$194.46

39%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,242.24$680.6

45%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$688.05$550.96

20%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$12,892.82$1,215.36

91%

Price per m², outside centre$5,427.45$378.11

93%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$1,211.68$269

78%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$5.19$8.69

40%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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