Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Hoi An vs Semarang

Hoi An vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 9% cheaper Hoi An +132 Mbps N/A / Moderate

Hoi An

Vincent Guth/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$911

Hoi An

$825

Semarang

Internet

164

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Hoi An

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Hoi An

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

N/A

Hoi An

Moderate

Semarang

Population

120.0k

Hoi An

1.6m

Semarang

Hoi An (Vietnam) 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

Semarang has a modest cost advantage at $825/mo compared to Hoi An's $911/mo — a 9% gap that matters over time.

For families, Hoi An costs $1020.547913849376/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

For bandwidth-intensive work, Hoi An has a clear edge at 164 Mbps (#0 globally) compared to Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

Both Hoi An and Semarang share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Hoi An and Semarang.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Hoi An is March (around 33 degrees, 0mm rain, score 415), 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

Hoi AnSemarang

Nomad$911/mo$825/mo

Expat$597/mo$603/mo

Local$292/mo$459/mo

Family$1,021/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

Hoi AnSemarang

City Speed

164 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed164 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

Hoi AnSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AModerate

ClimateN/AModerate

Humidity8288

Quality of Life

Hoi AnSemarang

SafetyN/AModerate

HealthcareN/AModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Hoi An

Semarang

Jan

28°

3mm251

34°

8mm237

Feb

31°

0mm397

35°

5mm222

Mar

33°

0mm415

36°

6mm253

Apr

39°

0mm395

37°

5mm319

May

39°

1mm371

37°

1mm373

Jun

42°

1mm359

36°

1mm368

Jul

39°

2mm367

35°

0mm397

Aug

42°

1mm351

36°

0mm397

Sep

38°

6mm323

36°

0mm397

Oct

32°

8mm189

37°

0mm382

Nov

30°

10mm135

36°

7mm319

Dec

25°

10mm108

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Hoi An?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $911
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 164 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1020.547913849376/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 120.0k residents
Peak season in March — 33 degrees, score 415

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 Semarang as the more well-rounded choice. At $825/mo versus Hoi An's $911/mo, that is a 9% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Hoi An Semarang

ItemHoi AnSemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant—$1.3

—

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

—

McMeal or equivalent combo—$3.24

—

Cappuccino (regular)—$1.34

—

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)—$2.48

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)—$2.59

—

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)—$0.42

—

Water (0.33L)—$0.2

—

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)—$1.13

—

White bread (500g)—$0.97

—

White rice (1kg)—$0.81

—

Eggs (12)—$1.29

—

Chicken fillets (1kg)—$2.96

—

Beef round (1kg)—$7.24

—

Local cheese (1kg)—$6.15

—

Apples (1kg)—$2.3

—

Bananas (1kg)—$1.3

—

Oranges (1kg)—$1.15

—

Tomatoes (1kg)—$0.86

—

Potatoes (1kg)—$1.15

—

Onions (1kg)—$1.38

—

Lettuce (1 head)—$0.55

—

Water (1.5L bottle)—$0.36

—

Wine, mid-range bottle—$12.15

—

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)—$2.03

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)—$2.98

—

Cigarettes (pack of 20)—$1.94

—

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket—$0.23

—

Monthly transport pass—$18.18

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)—$0.58

—

Taxi per 1km—$0.32

—

Taxi 1hr waiting—$2.11

—

Gasoline (1L)—$0.79

—

Volkswagen Golf (new)—$23,334.86

—

Toyota Corolla (new)—$27,914.38

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo—$40.19

—

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo—$28.38

—

Mobile prepaid per minute—$0.1

—

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly—$29.17

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)—$12.15

—

Cinema, 1 ticket—$3.24

—

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo—$75.62

—

International primary school/yr—$6,009.65

—

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)—$32.39

—

Summer dress (chain store)—$22.69

—

Nike running shoes (mid-range)—$64.82

—

Men's leather business shoes—$37.81

—

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre—$259.28

—

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre—$194.46

—

3-bedroom apartment, city centre—$680.6

—

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre—$550.96

—

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre—$1,215.36

—

Price per m², outside centre—$378.11

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary—$269

—

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)—$8.69

—

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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