Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Makassar vs Shantou

Makassar vs Shantou

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 33% cheaper Shantou +212 Mbps N/A / N/A

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Shantou

Jason Yuen/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$839

Makassar

$1,252

Shantou

Internet

Mbps

244

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Makassar

N/A

Shantou

Air Quality

5/5

Makassar

5/5

Shantou

Healthcare

N/A

Makassar

N/A

Shantou

Population

1.3m

Makassar

1.3m

Shantou

Makassar (Indonesia) and Shantou (China) 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 — 33% less than Shantou's $1252/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $4956.

For families, Makassar costs $1800.101453918562/mo compared to Shantou's $2231.043141348227/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Shantou leads on internet connectivity at 244 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 Shantou share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Makassar and Shantou.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Makassar is August (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374), while Shantou peaks in October (32 degrees, 0mm rain, score 345). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

MakassarShantou

Nomad$839/mo$1,252/mo

Expat$683/mo$866/mo

Local$514/mo$637/mo

Family$1,800/mo$2,231/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

MakassarShantou

City Speed

32 Mbps

244 Mbps

Country Speed32 Mbps244 Mbps

Environment & Health

MakassarShantou

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AN/A

ClimateN/AN/A

Humidity8569

Quality of Life

MakassarShantou

SafetyN/AN/A

HealthcareN/AN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Makassar

Shantou

Jan

36°

11mm87

19°

0mm325

Feb

37°

4mm210

22°

0mm325

Mar

37°

6mm179

23°

1mm311

Apr

38°

3mm282

32°

4mm262

May

38°

1mm346

30°

1mm316

Jun

36°

1mm348

37°

8mm173

Jul

35°

0mm372

39°

3mm222

Aug

35°

0mm374

40°

3mm253

Sep

37°

0mm354

38°

3mm262

Oct

37°

1mm330

32°

0mm345

Nov

37°

6mm271

26°

0mm345

Dec

33°

16mm41

21°

0mm325

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 Shantou?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1252
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 244 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2231.043141348227/mo for families
Peak season in October — 32 degrees, score 345

Overall Verdict

Overall, Shantou edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1252/mo it runs 33% cheaper than Makassar's $839/mo, with 244 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Makassar Shantou

ItemMakassarShantouDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.3—

—

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$9.72$9.96

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.24$4.27

24%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.78$4.03

56%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.07—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.92—

—

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.5$0.57

12%

Water (0.33L)$0.26$0.4

35%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.24$1.57

21%

White bread (500g)$1$2.21

55%

White rice (1kg)$0.82$1

18%

Eggs (12)$1.47—

—

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.65$1.99

45%

Beef round (1kg)$7.45$12.81

42%

Local cheese (1kg)$5.94$22.06

73%

Apples (1kg)$2.51$2.42

Bananas (1kg)$0.86—

—

Oranges (1kg)$2.28$1.71

25%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.8$0.78

Potatoes (1kg)$1.02$0.71

30%

Onions (1kg)$1.73$0.57

67%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.04$0.21

80%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.45$1.42

68%

Wine, mid-range bottle$12.96$14.24

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.27$1.14

50%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.52$2.28

35%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.07$2.49

17%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.32—

—

Monthly transport pass$9.72$21.35

54%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.58—

—

Taxi per 1km$0.45$0.39

13%

Taxi 1hr waiting$3.57—

—

Gasoline (1L)$0.81—

—

Volkswagen Golf (new)$24,955.34$32,741.61

24%

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,761.34$18,506.13

42%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51.2$34.2

33%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$41.59$11.39

73%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18$0.07

61%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$25.12$34.8

28%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$9.18$14.24

36%

Cinema, 1 ticket$2.92$6.05

52%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$53.8$166.08

68%

International primary school/yr$4,861.43—

—

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$45.36$35.59

22%

Summer dress (chain store)$22.69$24.91

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$75.35$92.53

19%

Men's leather business shoes$47.97$106.77

55%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$170.15—

—

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$77.78$711.77

89%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$421.32—

—

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$162.05—

—

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,296.38$2,135.32

39%

Price per m², outside centre$421.32$1,138.84

63%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$231.19$1,260.6

82%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$10.67$5.32

50%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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