Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Makassar vs Tainan

Makassar vs Tainan

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 45% cheaper Tainan +194 Mbps N/A / High

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Tainan

Tienko Dima/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$839

Makassar

$1,537

Tainan

Internet

Mbps

226

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Makassar

High

Tainan

Air Quality

5/5

Makassar

5/5

Tainan

Healthcare

N/A

Makassar

High

Tainan

Population

1.3m

Makassar

1.9m

Tainan

Makassar (Indonesia) and Tainan (Taiwan) 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 — 45% less than Tainan's $1537/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $8376.

For families, Makassar costs $1800.101453918562/mo compared to Tainan's $1862.520976023493/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Tainan leads on internet connectivity at 226 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 Tainan share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Makassar and Tainan.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Makassar is August (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374), while Tainan peaks in January (24 degrees, 0mm rain, score 442). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

MakassarTainan

Nomad$839/mo$1,537/mo

Expat$683/mo$910/mo

Local$514/mo$532/mo

Family$1,800/mo$1,863/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

MakassarTainan

City Speed

32 Mbps

226 Mbps

Country Speed32 Mbps226 Mbps

Environment & Health

MakassarTainan

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AHigh

ClimateN/AN/A

Humidity8549

Quality of Life

MakassarTainan

SafetyN/AHigh

HealthcareN/AHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Makassar

Tainan

Jan

36°

11mm87

24°

0mm442

Feb

37°

4mm210

27°

0mm442

Mar

37°

6mm179

29°

0mm442

Apr

38°

3mm282

35°

0mm442

May

38°

1mm346

35°

1mm419

Jun

36°

1mm348

38°

3mm371

Jul

35°

0mm372

40°

3mm351

Aug

35°

0mm374

38°

4mm360

Sep

37°

0mm354

39°

5mm360

Oct

37°

1mm330

36°

1mm429

Nov

37°

6mm271

31°

0mm442

Dec

33°

16mm41

23°

0mm422

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 Tainan?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 226 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1862.520976023493/mo for families
Peak season in January — 24 degrees, score 442

Overall Verdict

Overall, Tainan edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1537/mo it runs 45% cheaper than Makassar's $839/mo, with 226 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Makassar Tainan

ItemMakassarTainanDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.3$3.27

60%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$9.72$16.37

41%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.24$4.91

34%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.78$2.98

40%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.07$1.96

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.92$2.62

10%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.5$1.03

51%

Water (0.33L)$0.26$0.67

61%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.24$3.15

61%

White bread (500g)$1$1.93

48%

White rice (1kg)$0.82$2.82

71%

Eggs (12)$1.47$2.89

49%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.65$8.7

58%

Beef round (1kg)$7.45$18.89

61%

Local cheese (1kg)$5.94$15.98

63%

Apples (1kg)$2.51$4.14

39%

Bananas (1kg)$0.86$2.19

61%

Oranges (1kg)$2.28$2.73

16%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.8$3.27

76%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.02$1.75

42%

Onions (1kg)$1.73$2.43

29%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.04$1.78

42%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.45$1.09

59%

Wine, mid-range bottle$12.96$13.09

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.27$1.61

29%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.52$1.8

49%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.07$3.93

47%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.32$0.59

46%

Monthly transport pass$9.72$21.03

54%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.58$2.45

76%

Taxi per 1km$0.45$0.82

45%

Taxi 1hr waiting$3.57$3.28

Gasoline (1L)$0.81$0.96

16%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$24,955.34$31,682.65

21%

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,761.34$24,854.67

22%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51.2$82.34

38%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$41.59$25.62

38%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18$0.16

11%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$25.12$34.56

27%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$9.18$7.09

23%

Cinema, 1 ticket$2.92$10.47

72%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$53.8$698.49

92%

International primary school/yr$4,861.43$10,309.95

53%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$45.36$75.69

40%

Summer dress (chain store)$22.69$32.38

30%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$75.35$91.63

18%

Men's leather business shoes$47.97$117.01

59%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$170.15$286.39

41%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$77.78$229.11

66%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$421.32$792.07

47%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$162.05$632.78

74%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,296.38$5,529.46

77%

Price per m², outside centre$421.32$3,109.35

86%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$231.19$1,339.77

83%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$10.67$1.67

84%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

Related Comparisons