Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Makassar vs Phuket

Makassar vs Phuket

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 54% cheaper Phuket +206 Mbps N/A / Moderate

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Phuket

Mike Swigunski/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$839

Makassar

$1,826

Phuket

Internet

Mbps

238

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Makassar

Moderate

Phuket

Air Quality

5/5

Makassar

5/5

Phuket

Healthcare

N/A

Makassar

Moderate

Phuket

Population

1.3m

Makassar

91.5k

Phuket

Makassar (Indonesia) and Phuket (Thailand) 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 54% less than Phuket at $1826/mo, adding up to $11844 over a year.

For families, Makassar costs $1800.101453918562/mo compared to Phuket's $2174.115218684915/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

For bandwidth-intensive work, Phuket has a clear edge at 238 Mbps (#0 globally) compared to Makassar's 32 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Makassar and Phuket.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Makassar is August (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374), while Phuket peaks in February (38 degrees, 0mm rain, score 456). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

MakassarPhuket

Nomad$839/mo$1,826/mo

Expat$683/mo$1,096/mo

Local$514/mo$621/mo

Family$1,800/mo$2,174/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

MakassarPhuket

City Speed

32 Mbps

238 Mbps

Country Speed32 Mbps238 Mbps

Environment & Health

MakassarPhuket

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AModerate

ClimateN/AModerate

Humidity8570

Quality of Life

MakassarPhuket

SafetyN/AModerate

HealthcareN/AModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Makassar

Phuket

Jan

36°

11mm87

36°

1mm447

Feb

37°

4mm210

38°

0mm456

Mar

37°

6mm179

40°

0mm421

Apr

38°

3mm282

41°

1mm384

May

38°

1mm346

40°

3mm363

Jun

36°

1mm348

37°

1mm414

Jul

35°

0mm372

37°

4mm373

Aug

35°

0mm374

37°

5mm312

Sep

37°

0mm354

35°

9mm258

Oct

37°

1mm330

37°

5mm281

Nov

37°

6mm271

37°

5mm304

Dec

33°

16mm41

35°

3mm393

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 Phuket?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 238 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2174.115218684915/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 91.5k residents
Peak season in February — 38 degrees, score 456

Overall Verdict

The data favors Phuket as the more well-rounded choice. At $1826/mo versus Makassar's $839/mo, that is a 54% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Makassar Phuket

ItemMakassarPhuketDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.3$3.6

64%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$9.72$28.8

66%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.24$7.2

55%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.78$2.57

31%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.07$2.16

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.92$3.74

22%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.5$0.74

32%

Water (0.33L)$0.26$0.42

38%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.24$1.71

27%

White bread (500g)$1$1.41

29%

White rice (1kg)$0.82$1.08

24%

Eggs (12)$1.47$1.51

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.65$2.09

43%

Beef round (1kg)$7.45$8.35

11%

Local cheese (1kg)$5.94$16.87

65%

Apples (1kg)$2.51$2.9

13%

Bananas (1kg)$0.86$1.13

24%

Oranges (1kg)$2.28$2.12

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.8$1.4

43%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.02$1.11

Onions (1kg)$1.73$1.14

34%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.04$1.33

22%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.45$0.49

Wine, mid-range bottle$12.96$18.72

31%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.27$1.45

36%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.52$2.3

35%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.07$3.89

47%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.32$0.86

63%

Monthly transport pass$9.72$0

100%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.58$2.88

80%

Taxi per 1km$0.45$1.15

61%

Taxi 1hr waiting$3.57$8.93

60%

Gasoline (1L)$0.81$1.26

36%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$24,955.34$34,560.51

28%

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,761.34$20,160.3

37%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51.2$60.34

15%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$41.59$17.91

57%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18$0.05

72%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$25.12$39.78

37%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$9.18$12.24

25%

Cinema, 1 ticket$2.92$7.2

59%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$53.8$432.01

88%

International primary school/yr$4,861.43$9,120.14

47%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$45.36$58.32

22%

Summer dress (chain store)$22.69$31.2

27%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$75.35$95.04

21%

Men's leather business shoes$47.97$72

33%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$170.15$345.61

51%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$77.78$291.6

73%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$421.32$1,098.02

62%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$162.05$792.01

80%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,296.38$2,928.04

56%

Price per m², outside centre$421.32$1,968.03

79%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$231.19$475.21

51%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$10.67$3.82

64%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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