Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Makassar vs Malacca

Makassar vs Malacca

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 30% cheaper Malacca +103 Mbps N/A / N/A

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Malacca

T RR/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$839

Makassar

$1,192

Malacca

Internet

Mbps

135

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Makassar

N/A

Malacca

Air Quality

5/5

Makassar

5/5

Malacca

Healthcare

N/A

Makassar

N/A

Malacca

Population

1.3m

Makassar

872.9k

Malacca

Makassar (Indonesia) and Malacca (Malaysia) 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 significantly cheaper for digital nomads at $839/mo — 30% less than Malacca's $1192/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $4236.

For families, Makassar costs $1800.101453918562/mo compared to Malacca's $2311.477438955778/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Malacca leads on internet connectivity at 135 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Makassar's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Makassar and Malacca.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Makassar is August (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374), while Malacca peaks in October (37 degrees, 1mm rain, score 369). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

MakassarMalacca

Nomad$839/mo$1,192/mo

Expat$683/mo$909/mo

Local$514/mo$660/mo

Family$1,800/mo$2,311/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

MakassarMalacca

City Speed

32 Mbps

135 Mbps

Country Speed32 Mbps135 Mbps

Environment & Health

MakassarMalacca

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AN/A

ClimateN/AN/A

Humidity8582

Quality of Life

MakassarMalacca

SafetyN/AN/A

HealthcareN/AN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Makassar

Malacca

Jan

36°

11mm87

34°

5mm233

Feb

37°

4mm210

38°

3mm295

Mar

37°

6mm179

39°

5mm295

Apr

38°

3mm282

39°

11mm218

May

38°

1mm346

38°

11mm233

Jun

36°

1mm348

37°

4mm325

Jul

35°

0mm372

36°

1mm325

Aug

35°

0mm374

36°

4mm305

Sep

37°

0mm354

36°

5mm315

Oct

37°

1mm330

37°

1mm369

Nov

37°

6mm271

37°

12mm225

Dec

33°

16mm41

35°

6mm294

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

Who Should Choose Malacca?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1192
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 135 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2311.477438955778/mo for families
Peak season in October — 37 degrees, score 369

Overall Verdict

Overall, Malacca edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1192/mo it runs 30% cheaper than Makassar's $839/mo, with 135 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Makassar Malacca

ItemMakassarMalaccaDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.3—

—

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

—

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.24—

—

Cappuccino (regular)$1.78—

—

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.07—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.92—

—

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.5—

—

Water (0.33L)$0.26—

—

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.24—

—

White bread (500g)$1—

—

White rice (1kg)$0.82—

—

Eggs (12)$1.47—

—

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.65—

—

Beef round (1kg)$7.45—

—

Local cheese (1kg)$5.94—

—

Apples (1kg)$2.51—

—

Bananas (1kg)$0.86—

—

Oranges (1kg)$2.28—

—

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.8—

—

Potatoes (1kg)$1.02—

—

Onions (1kg)$1.73—

—

Lettuce (1 head)$1.04—

—

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.45—

—

Wine, mid-range bottle$12.96—

—

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.27—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.52—

—

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.07—

—

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.32—

—

Monthly transport pass$9.72—

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.58—

—

Taxi per 1km$0.45—

—

Taxi 1hr waiting$3.57—

—

Gasoline (1L)$0.81—

—

Volkswagen Golf (new)$24,955.34—

—

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,761.34—

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51.2—

—

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$41.59—

—

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18—

—

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$25.12—

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$9.18—

—

Cinema, 1 ticket$2.92—

—

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$53.8—

—

International primary school/yr$4,861.43—

—

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$45.36—

—

Summer dress (chain store)$22.69—

—

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$75.35—

—

Men's leather business shoes$47.97—

—

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$170.15—

—

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$77.78—

—

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$421.32—

—

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$162.05—

—

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,296.38—

—

Price per m², outside centre$421.32—

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$231.19—

—

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$10.67—

—

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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