Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Makassar vs Medan

Makassar vs Medan

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 4% cheaper N/A / Moderate

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Medan

David Kristianto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$839

Makassar

$877

Medan

Internet

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Makassar

Moderate

Medan

Air Quality

5/5

Makassar

5/5

Medan

Healthcare

N/A

Makassar

High

Medan

Population

1.3m

Makassar

2.1m

Medan

Makassar and Medan are both in Indonesia, making this one of the most common comparisons for digital nomads planning a base in the region. This guide breaks down the key differences across cost, internet, safety, weather, and quality of life.

Cost of Living

Both cities sit in a similar price range — Makassar at $839/mo and Medan at $877/mo — so cost alone is not a deciding factor here.

For families, Makassar costs $1800.101453918562/mo compared to Medan's $1759.571589851557/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Internet speeds are nearly identical — Makassar at 32 Mbps and Medan at 32 Mbps. Both handle video calls and uploads well.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Makassar and Medan.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Makassar is August (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374), 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

MakassarMedan

Nomad$839/mo$877/mo

Expat$683/mo$656/mo

Local$514/mo$503/mo

Family$1,800/mo$1,760/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

MakassarMedan

City Speed

32 Mbps

Country Speed32 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

MakassarMedan

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AHigh

ClimateN/AModerate

Humidity8578

Quality of Life

MakassarMedan

SafetyN/AModerate

HealthcareN/AHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Makassar

Medan

Jan

36°

11mm87

37°

12mm327

Feb

37°

4mm210

38°

5mm338

Mar

37°

6mm179

39°

7mm327

Apr

38°

3mm282

40°

9mm338

May

38°

1mm346

39°

8mm266

Jun

36°

1mm348

39°

10mm338

Jul

35°

0mm372

39°

3mm386

Aug

35°

0mm374

38°

16mm251

Sep

37°

0mm354

38°

17mm266

Oct

37°

1mm330

38°

12mm266

Nov

37°

6mm271

36°

16mm189

Dec

33°

16mm41

36°

16mm235

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 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

Overall, Medan edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $877/mo it runs 4% cheaper than Makassar's $839/mo, with 32 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Makassar Medan

ItemMakassarMedanDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.3$1.94

33%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$9.72$10.05

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.24$2.59

20%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.78$1.13

37%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.07$2.27

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.92$3.24

10%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.5$0.67

25%

Water (0.33L)$0.26$0.32

19%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.24$1.16

White bread (500g)$1$1.3

23%

White rice (1kg)$0.82$0.83

Eggs (12)$1.47$1.45

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.65$2.53

31%

Beef round (1kg)$7.45$7.21

Local cheese (1kg)$5.94$4.11

31%

Apples (1kg)$2.51$2.14

15%

Bananas (1kg)$0.86$1.05

18%

Oranges (1kg)$2.28$1.05

54%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.8$0.71

11%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.02$0.8

22%

Onions (1kg)$1.73$1.66

Lettuce (1 head)$1.04$0.5

52%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.45$0.42

Wine, mid-range bottle$12.96$8.1

38%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.27$1.94

15%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.52$2.66

24%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.07$1.78

14%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.32$0.32

Monthly transport pass$9.72$6.48

33%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.58$0.45

22%

Taxi per 1km$0.45$0.65

31%

Taxi 1hr waiting$3.57$3.94

Gasoline (1L)$0.81$0.8

Volkswagen Golf (new)$24,955.34$35,650.48

30%

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,761.34$20,504.43

35%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51.2$50.23

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$41.59$31.59

24%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18$0.13

28%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$25.12$23.77

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$9.18$12.32

25%

Cinema, 1 ticket$2.92$3.08

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$53.8$69.14

22%

International primary school/yr$4,861.43$10,855.03

55%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$45.36$40.37

11%

Summer dress (chain store)$22.69$28.36

20%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$75.35—

—

Men's leather business shoes$47.97$56.72

15%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$170.15$106.3

38%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$77.78$66.76

14%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$421.32$388.91

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$162.05$210.66

23%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,296.38$1,979.08

34%

Price per m², outside centre$421.32$864.25

51%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$231.19$302.49

24%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$10.67$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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