Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Makassar vs Penang

Makassar vs Penang

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 20% cheaper Penang +103 Mbps N/A / High

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Penang

ONG WEI/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$839

Makassar

$1,047

Penang

Internet

Mbps

135

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Makassar

High

Penang

Air Quality

5/5

Makassar

5/5

Penang

Healthcare

N/A

Makassar

Moderate

Penang

Population

1.3m

Makassar

740.0k

Penang

Makassar (Indonesia) and Penang (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

The monthly savings are substantial — Makassar at $839/mo costs 20% less than Penang at $1047/mo, adding up to $2496 over a year.

For families, Makassar costs $1800.101453918562/mo compared to Penang's $1706.003150669517/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

For bandwidth-intensive work, Penang has a clear edge at 135 Mbps (#0 globally) compared to Makassar's 32 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Makassar and Penang.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Makassar is August (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374), while Penang peaks in July (37 degrees, 1mm rain, score 439). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

MakassarPenang

Nomad$839/mo$1,047/mo

Expat$683/mo$759/mo

Local$514/mo$487/mo

Family$1,800/mo$1,706/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

MakassarPenang

City Speed

32 Mbps

135 Mbps

Country Speed32 Mbps135 Mbps

Environment & Health

MakassarPenang

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AModerate

ClimateN/AModerate

Humidity8574

Quality of Life

MakassarPenang

SafetyN/AHigh

HealthcareN/AModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Makassar

Penang

Jan

36°

11mm87

37°

3mm395

Feb

37°

4mm210

39°

2mm419

Mar

37°

6mm179

40°

6mm355

Apr

38°

3mm282

41°

12mm257

May

38°

1mm346

39°

22mm226

Jun

36°

1mm348

37°

7mm364

Jul

35°

0mm372

37°

1mm439

Aug

35°

0mm374

37°

17mm226

Sep

37°

0mm354

37°

12mm257

Oct

37°

1mm330

37°

12mm211

Nov

37°

6mm271

37°

11mm242

Dec

33°

16mm41

36°

5mm303

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 Penang?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1047
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 135 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1706.003150669517/mo for families
Peak season in July — 37 degrees, score 439

Overall Verdict

The data favors Penang as the more well-rounded choice. At $1047/mo versus Makassar's $839/mo, that is a 20% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Makassar Penang

ItemMakassarPenangDiff

🍽️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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