Explore Cities/Compare Cities/La Union vs Semarang

La Union vs Semarang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Semarang 52% cheaper La Union +62 Mbps N/A / Moderate

La Union

Jeff Nafura/Unsplash

Semarang

Supri Yanto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,714

La Union

$825

Semarang

Internet

Mbps

Safety

N/A

La Union

Moderate

Semarang

Air Quality

5/5

La Union

5/5

Semarang

Healthcare

N/A

La Union

Moderate

Semarang

Population

741.9k

La Union

1.6m

Semarang

La Union (Philippines) 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 — 52% cheaper than La Union's $1714/mo, a saving of $10668 per year.

For families, La Union costs $1539.453477769052/mo compared to Semarang's $1605.588646314858/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

La Union leads on internet connectivity at 94 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Semarang's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both La Union and Semarang.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit La Union is January (around 33 degrees, 0mm rain, score 372), 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

La UnionSemarang

Nomad$1,714/mo$825/mo

Expat$1,071/mo$603/mo

Local$440/mo$459/mo

Family$1,539/mo$1,606/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

La UnionSemarang

City Speed

94 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed94 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

La UnionSemarang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AModerate

ClimateN/AModerate

Humidity7488

Quality of Life

La UnionSemarang

SafetyN/AModerate

HealthcareN/AModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

La Union

Semarang

Jan

33°

0mm372

34°

8mm237

Feb

35°

0mm372

35°

5mm222

Mar

36°

0mm340

36°

6mm253

Apr

39°

0mm322

37°

5mm319

May

40°

2mm303

37°

1mm373

Jun

39°

4mm279

36°

1mm368

Jul

38°

8mm269

35°

0mm397

Aug

38°

9mm208

36°

0mm397

Sep

35°

11mm131

36°

0mm397

Oct

37°

3mm279

37°

0mm382

Nov

36°

1mm356

36°

7mm319

Dec

35°

2mm310

34°

15mm207

Who Should Choose La Union?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1539.453477769052/mo for families
Peak season in January — 33 degrees, score 372

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, Semarang edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $825/mo it runs 52% cheaper than La Union's $1714/mo, with 32 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

La Union Semarang

ItemLa UnionSemarangDiff

🍽️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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