Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Makassar vs Varkala

Makassar vs Varkala

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 24% cheaper Varkala +29 Mbps N/A / N/A

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Varkala

Rahul Chakraborty/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$839

Makassar

$1,098

Varkala

Internet

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Makassar

N/A

Varkala

Air Quality

5/5

Makassar

5/5

Varkala

Healthcare

N/A

Makassar

N/A

Varkala

Population

1.3m

Makassar

40.0k

Varkala

Makassar (Indonesia) and Varkala (India) 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 — 24% less than Varkala's $1098/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $3108.

For families, Makassar costs $1800.101453918562/mo compared to Varkala's $1645.912884756213/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Varkala leads on internet connectivity at 61 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 Varkala share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Makassar and Varkala.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Makassar is August (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374), while Varkala peaks in January (36 degrees, 0mm rain, score 379). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

MakassarVarkala

Nomad$839/mo$1,098/mo

Expat$683/mo$757/mo

Local$514/mo$470/mo

Family$1,800/mo$1,646/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

MakassarVarkala

City Speed

32 Mbps

61 Mbps

Country Speed32 Mbps61 Mbps

Environment & Health

MakassarVarkala

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AN/A

ClimateN/AN/A

Humidity8577

Quality of Life

MakassarVarkala

SafetyN/AN/A

HealthcareN/AN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Makassar

Varkala

Jan

36°

11mm87

36°

0mm379

Feb

37°

4mm210

37°

0mm344

Mar

37°

6mm179

37°

1mm335

Apr

38°

3mm282

39°

3mm292

May

38°

1mm346

36°

23mm143

Jun

36°

1mm348

33°

14mm104

Jul

35°

0mm372

33°

6mm158

Aug

35°

0mm374

33°

7mm143

Sep

37°

0mm354

33°

3mm212

Oct

37°

1mm330

34°

4mm189

Nov

37°

6mm271

35°

3mm301

Dec

33°

16mm41

35°

1mm332

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 Varkala?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1098
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1645.912884756213/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 40.0k residents
Peak season in January — 36 degrees, score 379

Overall Verdict

Overall, Varkala edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1098/mo it runs 24% cheaper than Makassar's $839/mo, with 61 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Makassar Varkala

ItemMakassarVarkalaDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.3—

—

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

—

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.24—

—

Cappuccino (regular)$1.78—

—

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.07—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.92—

—

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.5—

—

Water (0.33L)$0.26—

—

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.24—

—

White bread (500g)$1—

—

White rice (1kg)$0.82—

—

Eggs (12)$1.47—

—

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.65—

—

Beef round (1kg)$7.45—

—

Local cheese (1kg)$5.94—

—

Apples (1kg)$2.51—

—

Bananas (1kg)$0.86—

—

Oranges (1kg)$2.28—

—

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.8—

—

Potatoes (1kg)$1.02—

—

Onions (1kg)$1.73—

—

Lettuce (1 head)$1.04—

—

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.45—

—

Wine, mid-range bottle$12.96—

—

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.27—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.52—

—

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.07—

—

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.32—

—

Monthly transport pass$9.72—

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.58—

—

Taxi per 1km$0.45—

—

Taxi 1hr waiting$3.57—

—

Gasoline (1L)$0.81—

—

Volkswagen Golf (new)$24,955.34—

—

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,761.34—

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51.2—

—

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$41.59—

—

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18—

—

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$25.12—

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$9.18—

—

Cinema, 1 ticket$2.92—

—

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$53.8—

—

International primary school/yr$4,861.43—

—

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$45.36—

—

Summer dress (chain store)$22.69—

—

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$75.35—

—

Men's leather business shoes$47.97—

—

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$170.15—

—

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$77.78—

—

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$421.32—

—

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$162.05—

—

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,296.38—

—

Price per m², outside centre$421.32—

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$231.19—

—

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$10.67—

—

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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