Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Kolkata vs Semarang

Kolkata vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 22% cheaper Kolkata +29 Mbps Moderate / Moderate

Kolkata

SAUVIK BOSE/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,059

Kolkata

$825

Semarang

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Kolkata

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Kolkata

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

High

Kolkata

Moderate

Semarang

Population

4.5m

Kolkata

1.6m

Semarang

Kolkata (India) 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 — 22% cheaper than Kolkata's $1059/mo, a saving of $2808 per year.

For families, Kolkata costs $986.1266431614971/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Kolkata leads on internet connectivity at 61 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

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

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Kolkata is February (around 31 degrees, 0mm rain, score 439), 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

KolkataSemarang

Nomad$1,059/mo$825/mo

Expat$492/mo$603/mo

Local$282/mo$459/mo

Family$986/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

KolkataSemarang

City Speed

61 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed61 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

KolkataSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighModerate

ClimateModerateModerate

Humidity5388

Quality of Life

KolkataSemarang

SafetyModerateModerate

HealthcareHighModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Kolkata

Semarang

Jan

24°

0mm419

34°

8mm237

Feb

31°

0mm439

35°

5mm222

Mar

35°

0mm427

36°

6mm253

Apr

42°

0mm389

37°

5mm319

May

42°

0mm397

37°

1mm373

Jun

42°

1mm385

36°

1mm368

Jul

38°

8mm224

35°

0mm397

Aug

38°

13mm214

36°

0mm397

Sep

39°

6mm317

36°

0mm397

Oct

38°

6mm347

37°

0mm382

Nov

31°

0mm439

36°

7mm319

Dec

27°

0mm439

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Kolkata?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1059
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $986.1266431614971/mo for families
Major city energy with 4.5m residents
Peak season in February — 31 degrees, score 439

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, Kolkata edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1059/mo it runs 22% cheaper than Semarang's $825/mo, with 61 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Kolkata Semarang

ItemKolkataSemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$2$1.3

35%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$14.74$9.72

34%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.68$3.24

12%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.64$1.34

18%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.21$2.48

11%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.68$2.59

30%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.36$0.42

14%

Water (0.33L)$0.15$0.2

25%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$0.63$1.13

44%

White bread (500g)$0.37$0.97

62%

White rice (1kg)$0.69$0.81

15%

Eggs (12)$0.92$1.29

29%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.05$2.96

Beef round (1kg)$6.38$7.24

12%

Local cheese (1kg)$5.04$6.15

18%

Apples (1kg)$1.88$2.3

18%

Bananas (1kg)$0.65$1.3

50%

Oranges (1kg)$1.19$1.15

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.64$0.86

26%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.4$1.15

65%

Onions (1kg)$0.44$1.38

68%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.37$0.55

33%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.34$0.36

Wine, mid-range bottle$9.52$12.15

22%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.77$2.03

13%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.96$2.98

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$4.05$1.94

52%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.2$0.23

13%

Monthly transport pass$3.93$18.18

78%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.61$0.58

Taxi per 1km$0.31$0.32

Taxi 1hr waiting$1.23$2.11

42%

Gasoline (1L)$1.33$0.79

41%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$12,281.76$23,334.86

47%

Toyota Corolla (new)$22,528.1$27,914.38

19%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$31.81$40.19

21%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$7.47$28.38

74%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.01$0.1

90%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$18.61$29.17

36%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$8$12.15

34%

Cinema, 1 ticket$3.56$3.24

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$49.59$75.62

34%

International primary school/yr$1,624.54$6,009.65

73%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$28.94$32.39

11%

Summer dress (chain store)$26.31$22.69

14%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$49.43$64.82

24%

Men's leather business shoes$34.08$37.81

10%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$148.65$259.28

43%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$84.89$194.46

56%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$388.92$680.6

43%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$248.24$550.96

55%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,038.75$1,215.36

15%

Price per m², outside centre$587.51$378.11

36%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$532.21$269

49%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$8.25$8.69

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

Related Comparisons