Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Makassar vs Shenzhen

Makassar vs Shenzhen

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 55% cheaper Shenzhen +212 Mbps N/A / High

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Shenzhen

Robert Bye/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$839

Makassar

$1,875

Shenzhen

Internet

Mbps

244

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Makassar

High

Shenzhen

Air Quality

5/5

Makassar

5/5

Shenzhen

Healthcare

N/A

Makassar

Moderate

Shenzhen

Population

1.3m

Makassar

12.5m

Shenzhen

Makassar (Indonesia) and Shenzhen (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

Budget-conscious nomads take note: Makassar costs $839/mo, saving 55% compared to Shenzhen's $1875/mo — that's $12432 per year.

For families, Makassar costs $1800.101453918562/mo compared to Shenzhen's $3072.403984405243/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Remote workers will appreciate Shenzhen's 244 Mbps (global #0) — considerably faster than Makassar's 32 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Makassar and Shenzhen.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Makassar is August (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374), while Shenzhen peaks in October (33 degrees, 0mm rain, score 455). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

MakassarShenzhen

Nomad$839/mo$1,875/mo

Expat$683/mo$1,273/mo

Local$514/mo$878/mo

Family$1,800/mo$3,072/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

MakassarShenzhen

City Speed

32 Mbps

244 Mbps

Country Speed32 Mbps244 Mbps

Environment & Health

MakassarShenzhen

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AModerate

ClimateN/AHigh

Humidity8543

Quality of Life

MakassarShenzhen

SafetyN/AHigh

HealthcareN/AModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Makassar

Shenzhen

Jan

36°

11mm87

22°

0mm435

Feb

37°

4mm210

25°

0mm422

Mar

37°

6mm179

25°

1mm411

Apr

38°

3mm282

33°

4mm291

May

38°

1mm346

33°

15mm244

Jun

36°

1mm348

36°

6mm283

Jul

35°

0mm372

39°

4mm332

Aug

35°

0mm374

39°

6mm352

Sep

37°

0mm354

38°

6mm352

Oct

37°

1mm330

33°

0mm455

Nov

37°

6mm271

27°

0mm451

Dec

33°

16mm41

20°

0mm435

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 Shenzhen?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 244 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $3072.403984405243/mo for families
Major city energy with 12.5m residents
Peak season in October — 33 degrees, score 455

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Shenzhen is the stronger pick. At $1875/mo it beats Makassar's $839/mo by 55%, and the 244 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Makassar Shenzhen

ItemMakassarShenzhenDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.3$4.27

70%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$9.72$28.47

66%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.24$4.98

35%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.78$4.2

58%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.07$1.14

45%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.92$3.99

27%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.5$0.47

Water (0.33L)$0.26$0.34

24%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.24$2.23

44%

White bread (500g)$1$2.4

58%

White rice (1kg)$0.82$1

18%

Eggs (12)$1.47$2.13

31%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.65$4.37

16%

Beef round (1kg)$7.45$15.56

52%

Local cheese (1kg)$5.94$13.67

57%

Apples (1kg)$2.51$1.97

22%

Bananas (1kg)$0.86$1.47

41%

Oranges (1kg)$2.28$1.81

21%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.8$1.45

45%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.02$1.06

Onions (1kg)$1.73$1.16

33%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.04$0.9

13%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.45$0.55

18%

Wine, mid-range bottle$12.96$14.16

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.27$0.88

61%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.52$1.49

58%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.07$3.56

42%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.32$0.57

44%

Monthly transport pass$9.72$35.59

73%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.58$1.42

59%

Taxi per 1km$0.45$0.37

18%

Taxi 1hr waiting$3.57$6.83

48%

Gasoline (1L)$0.81$1.19

32%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$24,955.34$21,936.88

12%

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,761.34$20,317.59

36%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51.2$67.63

24%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$41.59$18.21

56%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18$0.04

78%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$25.12$51.65

51%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$9.18$14.39

36%

Cinema, 1 ticket$2.92$7.12

59%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$53.8$660.93

92%

International primary school/yr$4,861.43$23,344.61

79%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$45.36$66.16

31%

Summer dress (chain store)$22.69$33.9

33%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$75.35$81.84

Men's leather business shoes$47.97$106.77

55%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$170.15$738.75

77%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$77.78$435.07

82%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$421.32$1,682.3

75%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$162.05$886.16

82%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,296.38$17,898.73

93%

Price per m², outside centre$421.32$8,091.57

95%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$231.19$1,572.22

85%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$10.67$4.99

53%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

Related Comparisons