Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Islamabad vs Makassar

Islamabad vs Makassar

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 41% cheaper Makassar +17 Mbps Moderate / N/A

Islamabad

Qasim Nagori/Unsplash

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,434

Islamabad

$839

Makassar

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Islamabad

N/A

Makassar

Air Quality

5/5

Islamabad

5/5

Makassar

Healthcare

Moderate

Islamabad

N/A

Makassar

Population

1.0m

Islamabad

1.3m

Makassar

Islamabad (Pakistan) 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

The monthly savings are substantial — Makassar at $839/mo costs 41% less than Islamabad at $1434/mo, adding up to $7140 over a year.

For families, Islamabad costs $896.8350959957552/mo compared to Makassar's $1800.101453918562/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

For bandwidth-intensive work, Makassar has a clear edge at 32 Mbps (#0 globally) compared to Islamabad's 15 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Islamabad and Makassar.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Islamabad is October (around 30 degrees, 0mm rain, score 425), 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

IslamabadMakassar

Nomad$1,434/mo$839/mo

Expat$533/mo$683/mo

Local$256/mo$514/mo

Family$897/mo$1,800/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

IslamabadMakassar

City Speed

15 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed15 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

IslamabadMakassar

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateN/A

ClimateHighN/A

Humidity4085

Quality of Life

IslamabadMakassar

SafetyModerateN/A

HealthcareModerateN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Islamabad

Makassar

Jan

15°

0mm385

36°

11mm87

Feb

15°

0mm385

37°

4mm210

Mar

22°

0mm405

37°

6mm179

Apr

27°

1mm412

38°

3mm282

May

37°

0mm385

38°

1mm346

Jun

39°

0mm375

36°

1mm348

Jul

40°

6mm344

35°

0mm372

Aug

37°

4mm333

35°

0mm374

Sep

36°

0mm423

37°

0mm354

Oct

30°

0mm425

37°

1mm330

Nov

22°

0mm405

37°

6mm271

Dec

15°

0mm385

33°

16mm41

Who Should Choose Islamabad?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1434
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $896.8350959957552/mo for families
Peak season in October — 30 degrees, score 425

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

The data favors Islamabad as the more well-rounded choice. At $1434/mo versus Makassar's $839/mo, that is a 41% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Islamabad Makassar

ItemIslamabadMakassarDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.34$1.3

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$15.65$9.72

38%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.58$3.24

Cappuccino (regular)$1.38$1.78

22%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.24$2.07

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$4.47$2.92

35%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.25$0.5

50%

Water (0.33L)$0.18$0.26

31%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$0.74$1.24

40%

White bread (500g)$0.46$1

54%

White rice (1kg)$1.04$0.82

21%

Eggs (12)$1.02$1.47

31%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$2.42$3.65

34%

Beef round (1kg)$3.91$7.45

48%

Local cheese (1kg)$4.52$5.94

24%

Apples (1kg)$0.93$2.51

63%

Bananas (1kg)$0.53$0.86

38%

Oranges (1kg)$0.69$2.28

70%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.58$0.8

28%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.31$1.02

70%

Onions (1kg)$0.34$1.73

80%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.3$1.04

71%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.32$0.45

29%

Wine, mid-range bottle$1.88$12.96

85%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.34$2.27

41%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.13$3.52

39%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.12$2.07

46%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.2$0.32

38%

Monthly transport pass$5.36$9.72

45%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.67$0.58

13%

Taxi per 1km$0.18$0.45

60%

Taxi 1hr waiting$2.24$3.57

37%

Gasoline (1L)$1.05$0.81

23%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$15,645.95$24,955.34

37%

Toyota Corolla (new)$17,471.07$31,761.34

45%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$82.57$51.2

38%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$20.25$41.59

51%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.01$0.18

94%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$16.76$25.12

33%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$5.25$9.18

43%

Cinema, 1 ticket$3.13$2.92

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$47.36$53.8

12%

International primary school/yr$948.66$4,861.43

80%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$14.04$45.36

69%

Summer dress (chain store)$19.72$22.69

13%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$59.64$75.35

21%

Men's leather business shoes$36.35$47.97

24%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$168.66$170.15

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$107.29$77.78

28%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$411.47$421.32

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$230.63$162.05

30%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$586.6$1,296.38

55%

Price per m², outside centre$416.56$421.32

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$218.01$231.19

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$11.55$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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