Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Ipoh vs Semarang

Ipoh vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 50% cheaper Ipoh +103 Mbps N/A / Moderate

Ipoh

Iqx Azmi/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,652

Ipoh

$825

Semarang

Internet

135

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Ipoh

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Ipoh

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

N/A

Ipoh

Moderate

Semarang

Population

657.9k

Ipoh

1.6m

Semarang

Ipoh (Malaysia) 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 is the clear budget winner at $825/mo — 50% cheaper than Ipoh's $1652/mo, a saving of $9924 per year.

For families, Ipoh costs $1678.139417126139/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Ipoh leads on internet connectivity at 135 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Ipoh and Semarang.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Ipoh is September (around 36 degrees, 9mm rain, score 380), 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

IpohSemarang

Nomad$1,652/mo$825/mo

Expat$768/mo$603/mo

Local$479/mo$459/mo

Family$1,678/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

IpohSemarang

City Speed

135 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed135 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

IpohSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AModerate

ClimateN/AModerate

Humidity8288

Quality of Life

IpohSemarang

SafetyN/AModerate

HealthcareN/AModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Ipoh

Semarang

Jan

36°

12mm211

34°

8mm237

Feb

37°

4mm287

35°

5mm222

Mar

38°

11mm287

36°

6mm253

Apr

37°

12mm195

37°

5mm319

May

37°

14mm180

37°

1mm373

Jun

36°

8mm287

36°

1mm368

Jul

35°

0mm376

35°

0mm397

Aug

34°

19mm149

36°

0mm397

Sep

36°

9mm380

36°

0mm397

Oct

35°

11mm211

37°

0mm382

Nov

35°

19mm149

36°

7mm319

Dec

34°

11mm195

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Ipoh?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 135 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1678.139417126139/mo for families
Peak season in September — 36 degrees, score 380

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

Overall, Semarang edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $825/mo it runs 50% cheaper than Ipoh's $1652/mo, with 32 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Ipoh Semarang

ItemIpohSemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$2.28$1.3

43%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$22.79$9.72

57%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.42$3.24

Cappuccino (regular)$1.98$1.34

32%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$4.1$2.48

40%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$5.7$2.59

55%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.54$0.42

22%

Water (0.33L)$0.35$0.2

43%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.38$1.13

18%

White bread (500g)$0.7$0.97

28%

White rice (1kg)$1.17$0.81

31%

Eggs (12)$1.25$1.29

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.63$2.96

18%

Beef round (1kg)$6.06$7.24

16%

Local cheese (1kg)$9.33$6.15

34%

Apples (1kg)$2.04$2.3

11%

Bananas (1kg)$1.07$1.3

18%

Oranges (1kg)$2.19$1.15

47%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.01$0.86

15%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.74$1.15

36%

Onions (1kg)$0.92$1.38

33%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.91$0.55

40%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.62$0.36

42%

Wine, mid-range bottle$13.68$12.15

11%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.63$2.03

23%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.9$2.98

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$3.99$1.94

51%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.57$0.23

60%

Monthly transport pass$16.87$18.18

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.68$0.58

15%

Taxi per 1km$0.34$0.32

Taxi 1hr waiting$6.84$2.11

69%

Gasoline (1L)$0.47$0.79

41%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$33,478.75$23,334.86

30%

Toyota Corolla (new)$22,792.02$27,914.38

18%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$42.45$40.19

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$23.13$28.38

18%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.06$0.1

40%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$45.58$29.17

36%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$5.32$12.15

56%

Cinema, 1 ticket$3.42$3.24

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$142.07$75.62

47%

International primary school/yr$3,585.94$6,009.65

40%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$45.01$32.39

28%

Summer dress (chain store)$18.23$22.69

20%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$55.56$64.82

14%

Men's leather business shoes$46.72$37.81

19%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$307.69$259.28

16%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$182.34$194.46

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$797.72$680.6

15%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$341.88$550.96

38%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$2,207.98$1,215.36

45%

Price per m², outside centre$1,103.99$378.11

66%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$936.41$269

71%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$4.14$8.69

52%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

Related Comparisons