Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Kunming vs Makassar

Kunming vs Makassar

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 44% cheaper Kunming +212 Mbps N/A / N/A

Kunming

Wanghao SANG/Unsplash

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,502

Kunming

$839

Makassar

Internet

244

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Kunming

N/A

Makassar

Air Quality

5/5

Kunming

5/5

Makassar

Healthcare

N/A

Kunming

N/A

Makassar

Population

3.0m

Kunming

1.3m

Makassar

Kunming (China) and Makassar (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

Makassar is the clear budget winner at $839/mo — 44% cheaper than Kunming's $1502/mo, a saving of $7956 per year.

For families, Kunming costs $2493.130633744401/mo compared to Makassar's $1800.101453918562/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Kunming leads on internet connectivity at 244 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Makassar's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Kunming and Makassar.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Kunming is April (around 22 degrees, 0mm rain, score 390), while Makassar peaks in August (35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

KunmingMakassar

Nomad$1,502/mo$839/mo

Expat$982/mo$683/mo

Local$712/mo$514/mo

Family$2,493/mo$1,800/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

KunmingMakassar

City Speed

244 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed244 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

KunmingMakassar

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AN/A

ClimateN/AN/A

Humidity5985

Quality of Life

KunmingMakassar

SafetyN/AN/A

HealthcareN/AN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Kunming

Makassar

Jan

9°

0mm328

36°

11mm87

Feb

13°

0mm350

37°

4mm210

Mar

17°

0mm370

37°

6mm179

Apr

22°

0mm390

38°

3mm282

May

23°

2mm318

38°

1mm346

Jun

25°

4mm191

36°

1mm348

Jul

25°

5mm175

35°

0mm372

Aug

25°

3mm278

35°

0mm374

Sep

23°

2mm278

37°

0mm354

Oct

19°

1mm288

37°

1mm330

Nov

14°

0mm340

37°

6mm271

Dec

13°

0mm340

33°

16mm41

Who Should Choose Kunming?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 244 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2493.130633744401/mo for families
Major city energy with 3.0m residents
Peak season in April — 22 degrees, score 390

Who Should Choose Makassar?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $839
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1800.101453918562/mo for families
Peak season in August — 35 degrees, score 374

Overall Verdict

Overall, Kunming edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1502/mo it runs 44% cheaper than Makassar's $839/mo, with 244 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Kunming Makassar

ItemKunmingMakassarDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$2.49$1.3

48%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$28.47$9.72

66%

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.34$3.24

39%

Cappuccino (regular)$3.38$1.78

47%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.07$2.07

48%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.14$2.92

27%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.52$0.5

Water (0.33L)$0.25$0.26

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.89$1.24

34%

White bread (500g)$2.73$1

63%

White rice (1kg)$1.78$0.82

54%

Eggs (12)$1.71$1.47

14%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$5.37$3.65

32%

Beef round (1kg)$10.5$7.45

29%

Local cheese (1kg)$14.71$5.94

60%

Apples (1kg)$1.64$2.51

35%

Bananas (1kg)$1$0.86

14%

Oranges (1kg)$1.49$2.28

35%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.61$0.8

50%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.93$1.02

Onions (1kg)$1.19$1.73

31%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.66$1.04

37%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.71$0.45

37%

Wine, mid-range bottle$8.54$12.96

34%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.71$2.27

69%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.57$3.52

55%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.85$2.07

27%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.43$0.32

26%

Monthly transport pass$42.71$9.72

77%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.14$0.58

49%

Taxi per 1km$0.43$0.45

Taxi 1hr waiting$7.12$3.57

50%

Gasoline (1L)$1.18$0.81

31%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$17,082.58$24,955.34

32%

Toyota Corolla (new)$18,980.64$31,761.34

40%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$47.45$51.2

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$12.46$41.59

70%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.02$0.18

89%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$23.73$25.12

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$11.39$9.18

19%

Cinema, 1 ticket$7.12$2.92

59%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$260.98$53.8

79%

International primary school/yr—$4,861.43

—

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$68.84$45.36

34%

Summer dress (chain store)$30.89$22.69

27%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$93.9$75.35

20%

Men's leather business shoes$128.12$47.97

63%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$212.96$170.15

20%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$226.63$77.78

66%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$365.57$421.32

13%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$361.01$162.05

55%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$5,517.93$1,296.38

77%

Price per m², outside centre$3,892.4$421.32

89%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$949.44$231.19

76%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$5.25$10.67

51%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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