Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Kandy vs Semarang

Kandy vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 5% cheaper N/A / Moderate

Kandy

Supun Batagoda/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$864

Kandy

$825

Semarang

Internet

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Kandy

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Kandy

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

N/A

Kandy

Moderate

Semarang

Population

109.3k

Kandy

1.6m

Semarang

Kandy (Sri Lanka) 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 Kandy's $864/mo — a 5% gap that matters over time.

For families, Kandy costs $814.877953278922/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

For bandwidth-intensive work, Semarang has a clear edge at 32 Mbps (#0 globally) compared to Kandy's 24 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Kandy and Semarang.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Kandy is March (around 34 degrees, 0mm rain, score 396), 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

KandySemarang

Nomad$864/mo$825/mo

Expat$484/mo$603/mo

Local$233/mo$459/mo

Family$815/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

KandySemarang

City Speed

24 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed24 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

KandySemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AModerate

ClimateN/AModerate

Humidity7988

Quality of Life

KandySemarang

SafetyN/AModerate

HealthcareN/AModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Kandy

Semarang

Jan

30°

1mm325

34°

8mm237

Feb

31°

0mm382

35°

5mm222

Mar

34°

0mm396

36°

6mm253

Apr

37°

1mm366

37°

5mm319

May

32°

7mm217

37°

1mm373

Jun

30°

1mm325

36°

1mm368

Jul

29°

2mm294

35°

0mm397

Aug

30°

2mm325

36°

0mm397

Sep

30°

2mm304

36°

0mm397

Oct

30°

4mm304

37°

0mm382

Nov

32°

11mm294

36°

7mm319

Dec

30°

1mm325

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Kandy?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $864
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $814.877953278922/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 109.3k residents
Peak season in March — 34 degrees, score 396

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 Kandy's $864/mo, that is a 5% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Kandy Semarang

ItemKandySemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.08$1.3

17%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$6.78$9.72

30%

McMeal or equivalent combo$4.34$3.24

25%

Cappuccino (regular)$0.99$1.34

26%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.11$2.48

55%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.11$2.59

57%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.36$0.42

14%

Water (0.33L)$0.21$0.2

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.09$1.13

White bread (500g)$0.41$0.97

58%

White rice (1kg)$0.56$0.81

31%

Eggs (12)$1.22$1.29

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.36$2.96

12%

Beef round (1kg)$4.72$7.24

35%

Local cheese (1kg)$10.21$6.15

40%

Apples (1kg)$2.44$2.3

Bananas (1kg)$0.65$1.3

50%

Oranges (1kg)$2.31$1.15

50%

Tomatoes (1kg)$2.58$0.86

67%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.81$1.15

30%

Onions (1kg)$0.66$1.38

52%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.77$0.55

29%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.34$0.36

Wine, mid-range bottle$6.78$12.15

44%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.84$2.03

59%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.12$2.98

29%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$4.34$1.94

55%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.14$0.23

39%

Monthly transport pass$5.76$18.18

68%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.41$0.58

29%

Taxi per 1km$0.41$0.32

22%

Taxi 1hr waiting$0.27$2.11

87%

Gasoline (1L)$0.83$0.79

Volkswagen Golf (new)$24,406.97$23,334.86

Toyota Corolla (new)$35,254.52$27,914.38

21%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$10.85$40.19

73%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$5.42$28.38

81%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.01$0.1

90%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$11.53$29.17

60%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)—$12.15

—

Cinema, 1 ticket$3.25$3.24

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$15.82$75.62

79%

International primary school/yr$623.73$6,009.65

90%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$10.85$32.39

67%

Summer dress (chain store)$8.59$22.69

62%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$32.54$64.82

50%

Men's leather business shoes$11.3$37.81

70%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$117.52$259.28

55%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$63.28$194.46

67%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$311.87$680.6

54%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$542.38$550.96

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,313.57$1,215.36

Price per m², outside centre$875.71$378.11

57%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$167.23$269

38%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$18$8.69

52%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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