Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Kollam vs Semarang

Kollam vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 11% cheaper Kollam +29 Mbps Moderate / Moderate

Kollam

Ajmal MK/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$926

Kollam

$825

Semarang

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Kollam

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

Kollam

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

Low

Kollam

Moderate

Semarang

Population

1.1m

Kollam

1.6m

Semarang

Kollam (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 has a modest cost advantage at $825/mo compared to Kollam's $926/mo — a 11% gap that matters over time.

For families, Kollam costs $780.556145198209/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

For bandwidth-intensive work, Kollam has a clear edge at 61 Mbps (#0 globally) compared to Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

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

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

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Kollam is January (around 36 degrees, 0mm rain, score 399), 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

KollamSemarang

Nomad$926/mo$825/mo

Expat$557/mo$603/mo

Local$223/mo$459/mo

Family$781/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

KollamSemarang

City Speed

61 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed61 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

KollamSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateModerate

ClimateModerateModerate

Humidity7788

Quality of Life

KollamSemarang

SafetyModerateModerate

HealthcareLowModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Kollam

Semarang

Jan

36°

0mm399

34°

8mm237

Feb

38°

0mm364

35°

5mm222

Mar

38°

1mm356

36°

6mm253

Apr

39°

3mm302

37°

5mm319

May

36°

24mm148

37°

1mm373

Jun

34°

14mm117

36°

1mm368

Jul

33°

8mm163

35°

0mm397

Aug

34°

4mm163

36°

0mm397

Sep

34°

3mm202

36°

0mm397

Oct

34°

4mm194

37°

0mm382

Nov

36°

2mm332

36°

7mm319

Dec

35°

1mm343

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose Kollam?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $926
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $780.556145198209/mo for families
Peak season in January — 36 degrees, score 399

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 Kollam's $926/mo, that is a 11% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Kollam Semarang

ItemKollamSemarangDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant—$1.3

—

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

—

McMeal or equivalent combo—$3.24

—

Cappuccino (regular)—$1.34

—

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)—$2.48

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)—$2.59

—

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)—$0.42

—

Water (0.33L)—$0.2

—

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)—$1.13

—

White bread (500g)—$0.97

—

White rice (1kg)—$0.81

—

Eggs (12)—$1.29

—

Chicken fillets (1kg)—$2.96

—

Beef round (1kg)—$7.24

—

Local cheese (1kg)—$6.15

—

Apples (1kg)—$2.3

—

Bananas (1kg)—$1.3

—

Oranges (1kg)—$1.15

—

Tomatoes (1kg)—$0.86

—

Potatoes (1kg)—$1.15

—

Onions (1kg)—$1.38

—

Lettuce (1 head)—$0.55

—

Water (1.5L bottle)—$0.36

—

Wine, mid-range bottle—$12.15

—

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)—$2.03

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)—$2.98

—

Cigarettes (pack of 20)—$1.94

—

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket—$0.23

—

Monthly transport pass—$18.18

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)—$0.58

—

Taxi per 1km—$0.32

—

Taxi 1hr waiting—$2.11

—

Gasoline (1L)—$0.79

—

Volkswagen Golf (new)—$23,334.86

—

Toyota Corolla (new)—$27,914.38

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo—$40.19

—

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo—$28.38

—

Mobile prepaid per minute—$0.1

—

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly—$29.17

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)—$12.15

—

Cinema, 1 ticket—$3.24

—

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo—$75.62

—

International primary school/yr—$6,009.65

—

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)—$32.39

—

Summer dress (chain store)—$22.69

—

Nike running shoes (mid-range)—$64.82

—

Men's leather business shoes—$37.81

—

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre—$259.28

—

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre—$194.46

—

3-bedroom apartment, city centre—$680.6

—

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre—$550.96

—

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre—$1,215.36

—

Price per m², outside centre—$378.11

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary—$269

—

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)—$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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