Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Kobe vs Semarang

Kobe vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 78% cheaper Kobe +185 Mbps High / Moderate

Kobe

Weichao Tang/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$3,793

Kobe

$825

Semarang

Internet

217

Mbps

Safety

High

Kobe

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Kobe

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

Low

Kobe

Moderate

Semarang

Population

1.5m

Kobe

1.6m

Semarang

Kobe (Japan) 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 — 78% cheaper than Kobe's $3793/mo, a saving of $35616 per year.

For families, Kobe costs $2620.440256052672/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Kobe leads on internet connectivity at 217 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

Kobe has a stronger safety profile than Semarang, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

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

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Kobe is October (around 27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 438), 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

KobeSemarang

Nomad$3,793/mo$825/mo

Expat$2,760/mo$603/mo

Local$749/mo$459/mo

Family$2,620/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

KobeSemarang

City Speed

217 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed217 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

KobeSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionLowModerate

ClimateHighModerate

Humidity6588

Quality of Life

KobeSemarang

SafetyHighModerate

HealthcareLowModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Kobe

Semarang

Jan

7°

0mm378

34°

8mm237

Feb

7°

0mm376

35°

5mm222

Mar

9°

1mm339

36°

6mm253

Apr

21°

0mm418

37°

5mm319

May

22°

0mm420

37°

1mm373

Jun

30°

1mm417

36°

1mm368

Jul

37°

0mm426

35°

0mm397

Aug

39°

0mm408

36°

0mm397

Sep

36°

0mm426

36°

0mm397

Oct

27°

0mm438

37°

0mm382

Nov

16°

0mm400

36°

7mm319

Dec

6°

0mm390

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Kobe?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 217 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2620.440256052672/mo for families
Peak season in October — 27 degrees, score 438

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, Kobe edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $3793/mo it runs 78% cheaper than Semarang's $825/mo, with 217 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Kobe Semarang

ItemKobeSemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$6.7$1.3

81%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$37.23$9.72

74%

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.21$3.24

38%

Cappuccino (regular)$3.35$1.34

60%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.98$2.48

17%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$5.21$2.59

50%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$1.02$0.42

59%

Water (0.33L)$0.79$0.2

75%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.56$1.13

28%

White bread (500g)$1.6$0.97

39%

White rice (1kg)$2.98$0.81

73%

Eggs (12)$1.83$1.29

30%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$8.09$2.96

63%

Beef round (1kg)$37.23$7.24

81%

Local cheese (1kg)$26.06$6.15

76%

Apples (1kg)$5.55$2.3

59%

Bananas (1kg)$2.47$1.3

47%

Oranges (1kg)$5.69$1.15

80%

Tomatoes (1kg)$4.84$0.86

82%

Potatoes (1kg)$2.62$1.15

56%

Onions (1kg)$1.69$1.38

18%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.24$0.55

56%

Water (1.5L bottle)$1.24$0.36

71%

Wine, mid-range bottle$7.21$12.15

41%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.35$2.03

14%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.42$2.98

19%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$3.83$1.94

49%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$1.9$0.23

88%

Monthly transport pass$69.24$18.18

74%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$4.99$0.58

88%

Taxi per 1km$2.08$0.32

85%

Taxi 1hr waiting$25.13$2.11

92%

Gasoline (1L)$1.24$0.79

36%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$22,335.55$23,334.86

Toyota Corolla (new)$15,634.89$27,914.38

44%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$151.77$40.19

74%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$40.45$28.38

30%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.27$0.1

63%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$59.56$29.17

51%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$20.1$12.15

40%

Cinema, 1 ticket$13.4$3.24

76%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$282.92$75.62

73%

International primary school/yr$11,167.78$6,009.65

46%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$47.65$32.39

32%

Summer dress (chain store)$42.81$22.69

47%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$73.71$64.82

12%

Men's leather business shoes$81.9$37.81

54%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$521.16$259.28

50%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$446.71$194.46

56%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,235.9$680.6

45%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$795.7$550.96

31%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$3,722.59$1,215.36

67%

Price per m², outside centre$2,978.07$378.11

87%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$2,533.89$269

89%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$1.25$8.69

86%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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