Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Makassar vs Seoul

Makassar vs Seoul

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 67% cheaper Seoul +172 Mbps N/A / High

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Seoul

Ciaran O'Brien/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$839

Makassar

$2,517

Seoul

Internet

Mbps

204

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Makassar

High

Seoul

Air Quality

5/5

Makassar

5/5

Seoul

Healthcare

N/A

Makassar

Moderate

Seoul

Population

1.3m

Makassar

9.8m

Seoul

Makassar (Indonesia) and Seoul (South Korea) 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 — 67% less than Seoul's $2517/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $20136.

For families, Makassar costs $1800.101453918562/mo compared to Seoul's $3564.483276284189/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Seoul leads on internet connectivity at 204 Mbps (ranked #32 globally) versus Makassar's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Makassar and Seoul.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Makassar is August (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374), while Seoul peaks in June (29 degrees, 0mm rain, score 478). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

MakassarSeoul

Nomad$839/mo$2,517/mo

Expat$683/mo$1,466/mo

Local$514/mo$1,018/mo

Family$1,800/mo$3,564/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

MakassarSeoul

City Speed

32 Mbps

204 Mbps#32

Country Speed32 Mbps199 Mbps

Environment & Health

MakassarSeoul

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AModerate

ClimateN/AModerate

Humidity8529

Quality of Life

MakassarSeoul

SafetyN/AHigh

HealthcareN/AModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Makassar

Seoul

Jan

36°

11mm87

-2°

0mm418

Feb

37°

4mm210

1°

0mm416

Mar

37°

6mm179

5°

0mm418

Apr

38°

3mm282

18°

0mm438

May

38°

1mm346

20°

0mm458

Jun

36°

1mm348

29°

0mm478

Jul

35°

0mm372

31°

6mm283

Aug

35°

0mm374

36°

1mm450

Sep

37°

0mm354

30°

1mm450

Oct

37°

1mm330

18°

0mm438

Nov

37°

6mm271

8°

0mm428

Dec

33°

16mm41

-3°

0mm418

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 Seoul?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 204 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Major city energy with 9.8m residents
Peak season in June — 29 degrees, score 478

Overall Verdict

Overall, Seoul edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $2517/mo it runs 67% cheaper than Makassar's $839/mo, with 204 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Makassar Seoul

ItemMakassarSeoulDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.3$7.68

83%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$9.72$53.78

82%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.24$6.15

47%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.78$3.93

55%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.07$3.07

33%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.92$4.99

41%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.5$1.48

66%

Water (0.33L)$0.26$0.79

67%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.24$2.2

44%

White bread (500g)$1$2.85

65%

White rice (1kg)$0.82$3.53

77%

Eggs (12)$1.47$4.04

64%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.65$10.58

66%

Beef round (1kg)$7.45$41.61

82%

Local cheese (1kg)$5.94$11.54

49%

Apples (1kg)$2.51$6.77

63%

Bananas (1kg)$0.86$3.71

77%

Oranges (1kg)$2.28$6.5

65%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.8$6.19

87%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.02$3.84

73%

Onions (1kg)$1.73$2.92

41%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.04$2.45

58%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.45$1.05

57%

Wine, mid-range bottle$12.96$15.36

16%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.27$2.12

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.52$2.36

33%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.07$3.46

40%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.32$1

68%

Monthly transport pass$9.72$42.25

77%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.58$2.92

80%

Taxi per 1km$0.45$0.92

51%

Taxi 1hr waiting$3.57$9.22

61%

Gasoline (1L)$0.81$1.43

43%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$24,955.34$29,192.75

15%

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,761.34$27,840.35

12%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51.2$182.13

72%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$41.59$22.48

46%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18$0.16

11%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$25.12$55.88

55%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$9.18$18.33

50%

Cinema, 1 ticket$2.92$9.6

70%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$53.8$404.15

87%

International primary school/yr$4,861.43$17,902.55

73%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$45.36$58.26

22%

Summer dress (chain store)$22.69$46.36

51%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$75.35$70.81

Men's leather business shoes$47.97$110.36

57%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$170.15$742.54

77%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$77.78$557.52

86%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$421.32$2,669.12

84%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$162.05$1,731.08

91%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,296.38$22,067.7

94%

Price per m², outside centre$421.32$10,971.9

96%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$231.19$2,689.62

91%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$10.67$3.47

67%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

Related Comparisons