Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Makassar vs Suzhou

Makassar vs Suzhou

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

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

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Suzhou

Z. Ruikoto/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$839

Makassar

$1,866

Suzhou

Internet

Mbps

244

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Makassar

High

Suzhou

Air Quality

5/5

Makassar

5/5

Suzhou

Healthcare

N/A

Makassar

High

Suzhou

Population

1.3m

Makassar

1.3m

Suzhou

Makassar (Indonesia) and Suzhou (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 — 55% less than Suzhou's $1866/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $12324.

For families, Makassar costs $1800.101453918562/mo compared to Suzhou's $3230.499640546369/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Suzhou 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 Suzhou share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Makassar and Suzhou.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Makassar is August (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374), while Suzhou peaks in May (27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 434). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

MakassarSuzhou

Nomad$839/mo$1,866/mo

Expat$683/mo$1,338/mo

Local$514/mo$923/mo

Family$1,800/mo$3,230/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

MakassarSuzhou

City Speed

32 Mbps

244 Mbps

Country Speed32 Mbps244 Mbps

Environment & Health

MakassarSuzhou

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AHigh

ClimateN/AHigh

Humidity8550

Quality of Life

MakassarSuzhou

SafetyN/AHigh

HealthcareN/AHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Makassar

Suzhou

Jan

36°

11mm87

6°

0mm374

Feb

37°

4mm210

4°

2mm345

Mar

37°

6mm179

13°

0mm394

Apr

38°

3mm282

22°

2mm342

May

38°

1mm346

27°

0mm434

Jun

36°

1mm348

31°

2mm367

Jul

35°

0mm372

41°

0mm394

Aug

35°

0mm374

42°

1mm370

Sep

37°

0mm354

35°

1mm408

Oct

37°

1mm330

23°

1mm400

Nov

37°

6mm271

15°

0mm394

Dec

33°

16mm41

7°

0mm374

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 Suzhou?

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 $3230.499640546369/mo for families
Peak season in May — 27 degrees, score 434

Overall Verdict

Overall, Suzhou edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1866/mo it runs 55% cheaper than Makassar's $839/mo, with 244 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Makassar Suzhou

ItemMakassarSuzhouDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.3$4.98

74%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$9.72$39.15

75%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.24$6.55

51%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.78$4.66

62%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.07$2.85

27%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.92$5.69

49%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.5$0.94

47%

Water (0.33L)$0.26$0.36

28%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.24$2.76

55%

White bread (500g)$1$3.56

72%

White rice (1kg)$0.82$1.46

44%

Eggs (12)$1.47$3.86

62%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.65$5.96

39%

Beef round (1kg)$7.45$19.98

63%

Local cheese (1kg)$5.94$25.15

76%

Apples (1kg)$2.51$2.87

13%

Bananas (1kg)$0.86$2.57

67%

Oranges (1kg)$2.28$3.92

42%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.8$2

60%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.02$1.34

24%

Onions (1kg)$1.73$1.5

13%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.04$1.4

26%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.45$0.99

55%

Wine, mid-range bottle$12.96$19.22

33%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.27$0.83

63%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.52$3.49

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.07$4.98

58%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.32$0.43

26%

Monthly transport pass$9.72$42.71

77%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.58$1.85

69%

Taxi per 1km$0.45$0.28

38%

Taxi 1hr waiting$3.57$4.27

16%

Gasoline (1L)$0.81$1.18

31%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$24,955.34$23,488.55

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,761.34$32,563.67

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51.2$64.83

21%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$41.59$12.61

70%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18$0.02

89%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$25.12$49.17

49%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$9.18$13.29

31%

Cinema, 1 ticket$2.92$9.61

70%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$53.8$1,583.7

97%

International primary school/yr$4,861.43$33,364.41

85%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$45.36$72.96

38%

Summer dress (chain store)$22.69$56.92

60%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$75.35$99.65

24%

Men's leather business shoes$47.97$167.78

71%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$170.15$775.04

78%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$77.78$512.48

85%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$421.32$2,174.87

81%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$162.05$1,076.72

85%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,296.38$9,490.32

86%

Price per m², outside centre$421.32$4,738.38

91%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$231.19$925.31

75%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$10.67$4.72

56%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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