Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Jakarta vs Semarang

Jakarta vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 34% cheaper Moderate / Moderate

Jakarta

Athar F/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,243

Jakarta

$825

Semarang

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Jakarta

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Jakarta

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

High

Jakarta

Moderate

Semarang

Population

10.2m

Jakarta

1.6m

Semarang

Jakarta and Semarang are both in Indonesia, making this one of the most common comparisons for digital nomads planning a base in the region. This guide breaks down the key differences across cost, internet, safety, weather, and quality of life.

Cost of Living

The monthly savings are substantial — Semarang at $825/mo costs 34% less than Jakarta at $1243/mo, adding up to $5016 over a year.

For families, Jakarta costs $2353.961403267884/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Internet speeds are nearly identical — Jakarta at 32 Mbps and Semarang at 32 Mbps. Both handle video calls and uploads well.

Quality of Life

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

Jakarta offers better healthcare infrastructure than Semarang — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Jakarta is July (around 37 degrees, 0mm rain, score 453), 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

JakartaSemarang

Nomad$1,243/mo$825/mo

Expat$928/mo$603/mo

Local$673/mo$459/mo

Family$2,354/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

JakartaSemarang

City Speed

32 Mbps

Country Speed32 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

JakartaSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighModerate

ClimateModerateModerate

Humidity8088

Quality of Life

JakartaSemarang

SafetyModerateModerate

HealthcareHighModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Jakarta

Semarang

Jan

37°

9mm293

34°

8mm237

Feb

37°

7mm293

35°

5mm222

Mar

38°

8mm293

36°

6mm253

Apr

39°

8mm273

37°

5mm319

May

39°

4mm355

37°

1mm373

Jun

37°

2mm385

36°

1mm368

Jul

37°

0mm453

35°

0mm397

Aug

39°

0mm435

36°

0mm397

Sep

38°

1mm419

36°

0mm397

Oct

40°

2mm419

37°

0mm382

Nov

39°

9mm355

36°

7mm319

Dec

36°

9mm262

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Jakarta?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1243
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2353.961403267884/mo for families
Major city energy with 10.2m residents
Peak season in July — 37 degrees, score 453

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 Jakarta's $1243/mo, that is a 34% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Jakarta Semarang

ItemJakartaSemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$2.59$1.3

50%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$22.69$9.72

57%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.57$3.24

Cappuccino (regular)$2.23$1.34

40%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.06$2.48

17%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.24$2.59

20%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.61$0.42

31%

Water (0.33L)$0.27$0.2

26%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.3$1.13

13%

White bread (500g)$1.2$0.97

19%

White rice (1kg)$0.83$0.81

Eggs (12)$1.71$1.29

25%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.52$2.96

16%

Beef round (1kg)$8.49$7.24

15%

Local cheese (1kg)$6.9$6.15

11%

Apples (1kg)$2.99$2.3

23%

Bananas (1kg)$1.6$1.3

19%

Oranges (1kg)$2.13$1.15

46%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.3$0.86

34%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.42$1.15

19%

Onions (1kg)$2.05$1.38

33%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.13$0.55

51%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.44$0.36

18%

Wine, mid-range bottle$22.69$12.15

46%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.17$2.03

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.24$2.98

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.27$1.94

15%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.23$0.23

Monthly transport pass$11.34$18.18

38%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.44$0.58

24%

Taxi per 1km$0.29$0.32

Taxi 1hr waiting$2.92$2.11

28%

Gasoline (1L)$0.81$0.79

Volkswagen Golf (new)$25,992.44$23,334.86

10%

Toyota Corolla (new)$28,106.01$27,914.38

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$83.88$40.19

52%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$31.57$28.38

10%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.13$0.1

23%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$30.89$29.17

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$11.78$12.15

Cinema, 1 ticket$3.24$3.24

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$138.64$75.62

45%

International primary school/yr$9,667.3$6,009.65

38%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$39.51$32.39

18%

Summer dress (chain store)$25.16$22.69

10%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$72.38$64.82

10%

Men's leather business shoes$79.85$37.81

53%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$505.59$259.28

49%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$277.43$194.46

30%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,172.14$680.6

42%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$615.04$550.96

10%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$2,632.8$1,215.36

54%

Price per m², outside centre$1,241.09$378.11

70%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$509.12$269

47%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$9.05$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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