Lucknow vs Medan

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lucknow 5% cheaper Lucknow +29 Mbps N/A / Moderate
Nomad Cost

$830

Lucknow

$877

Medan

Internet

61

Mbps

32

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Lucknow

Moderate

Medan

Air Quality

5/5

Lucknow

5/5

Medan

Healthcare

N/A

Lucknow

High

Medan

Population

2.9m

Lucknow

2.1m

Medan

Lucknow (India) and Medan (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

Lucknow edges ahead on affordability at $830/mo compared to Medan's $877/mo — a 5% gap that matters over time.

For families, Lucknow costs $668.408773077319/mo compared to Medan's $1759.571589851557/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

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

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Lucknow and Medan.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Lucknow is February (around 23 degrees, 0mm rain, score 375), while Medan peaks in July (39 degrees, 3mm rain, score 386). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

LucknowMedan
Nomad$830/mo$877/mo
Expat$484/mo$656/mo
Local$191/mo$503/mo
Family$668/mo$1,760/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

LucknowMedan
City Speed
61 Mbps
32 Mbps
Country Speed61 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

LucknowMedan
Air Quality Score5/55/5
PollutionN/AHigh
ClimateN/AModerate
Humidity1878

Quality of Life

LucknowMedan
SafetyN/AModerate
HealthcareN/AHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Lucknow
Medan
Jan
19°
0mm335
37°
12mm327
Feb
23°
0mm375
38°
5mm338
Mar
30°
0mm375
39°
7mm327
Apr
38°
0mm325
40°
9mm338
May
42°
0mm315
39°
8mm266
Jun
44°
0mm315
39°
10mm338
Jul
40°
6mm191
39°
3mm386
Aug
38°
7mm196
38°
16mm251
Sep
37°
2mm303
38°
17mm266
Oct
36°
0mm375
38°
12mm266
Nov
29°
0mm375
36°
16mm189
Dec
22°
0mm355
36°
16mm235

Who Should Choose Lucknow?

  • Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $830
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Family-friendly at $668.408773077319/mo for families
  • Major city energy with 2.9m residents
  • Peak season in February — 23 degrees, score 375

Who Should Choose Medan?

  • Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $877
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Family-friendly at $1759.571589851557/mo for families
  • Major city energy with 2.1m residents
  • Peak season in July — 39 degrees, score 386

Overall Verdict

The data favors Medan as the more well-rounded choice. At $877/mo versus Lucknow's $830/mo, that is a 5% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Lucknow Medan
ItemLucknowMedanDiff
🍽️Restaurants8 items
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.07$1.94
37%
Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$12.28$10.05
18%
McMeal or equivalent combo$3.07$2.59
16%
Cappuccino (regular)$1.57$1.13
28%
Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.84$2.27
19%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.68$3.24
12%
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.35$0.67
48%
Water (0.33L)$0.18$0.32
44%
🛒Markets19 items
Milk (1L)$0.68$1.16
41%
White bread (500g)$0.45$1.3
65%
White rice (1kg)$0.71$0.83
14%
Eggs (12)$1.03$1.45
29%
Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.48$2.53
27%
Beef round (1kg)$6.52$7.21
10%
Local cheese (1kg)$3.96$4.11
4%
Apples (1kg)$1.49$2.14
30%
Bananas (1kg)$0.58$1.05
45%
Oranges (1kg)$0.82$1.05
22%
Tomatoes (1kg)$0.43$0.71
39%
Potatoes (1kg)$0.25$0.8
69%
Onions (1kg)$0.35$1.66
79%
Lettuce (1 head)$0.43$0.5
14%
Water (1.5L bottle)$0.35$0.42
17%
Wine, mid-range bottle$6.14$8.1
24%
Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.81$1.94
7%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.39$2.66
22%
Cigarettes (pack of 20)$4.05$1.78
56%
🚌Transport8 items
One-way local transport ticket$0.43$0.32
26%
Monthly transport pass$12.28$6.48
47%
Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.61$0.45
26%
Taxi per 1km$0.15$0.65
77%
Taxi 1hr waiting$1.23$3.94
69%
Gasoline (1L)$1.25$0.8
36%
Volkswagen Golf (new)$14,738.11$35,650.48
59%
Toyota Corolla (new)$24,393.62$20,504.43
16%
⚡Utilities3 items
Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$47.83$50.23
5%
Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$8.66$31.59
73%
Mobile prepaid per minute$0.02$0.13
85%
🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items
Fitness club, monthly$19.96$23.77
16%
Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$10.23$12.32
17%
Cinema, 1 ticket$3.68$3.08
16%
👶Childcare2 items
Preschool, full-day private/mo$51.34$69.14
26%
International primary school/yr$1,271.16$10,855.03
88%
👗Clothing4 items
Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$27.55$40.37
32%
Summer dress (chain store)$34.39$28.36
18%
Nike running shoes (mid-range)$40.91—
—
Men's leather business shoes$38.92$56.72
31%
🏠Rent4 items
1-bedroom apartment, city centre$122.82$106.3
13%
1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$77.99$66.76
14%
3-bedroom apartment, city centre$305.51$388.91
21%
3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$180.13$210.66
14%
🏗️Buy2 items
Price per m², city centre$1,067.19$1,979.08
46%
Price per m², outside centre$599.7$864.25
31%
💰Finance2 items
Average monthly net salary$569.74$302.49
47%
Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$8.47$9.5
11%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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