Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Makassar vs Xiamen

Makassar vs Xiamen

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Makassar 56% cheaper Xiamen +212 Mbps N/A / High

Makassar

Arief Hidayat/Unsplash

Xiamen

Dongsh/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$839

Makassar

$1,894

Xiamen

Internet

Mbps

244

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Makassar

High

Xiamen

Air Quality

5/5

Makassar

5/5

Xiamen

Healthcare

N/A

Makassar

Low

Xiamen

Population

1.3m

Makassar

2.1m

Xiamen

Makassar (Indonesia) and Xiamen (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 56% compared to Xiamen's $1894/mo — that's $12660 per year.

For families, Makassar costs $1800.101453918562/mo compared to Xiamen's $2329.656998285683/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

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

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Makassar and Xiamen.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Makassar is August (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 374), while Xiamen peaks in October (31 degrees, 0mm rain, score 430). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

MakassarXiamen

Nomad$839/mo$1,894/mo

Expat$683/mo$1,204/mo

Local$514/mo$666/mo

Family$1,800/mo$2,330/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

MakassarXiamen

City Speed

32 Mbps

244 Mbps

Country Speed32 Mbps244 Mbps

Environment & Health

MakassarXiamen

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AModerate

ClimateN/AHigh

Humidity8565

Quality of Life

MakassarXiamen

SafetyN/AHigh

HealthcareN/ALow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Makassar

Xiamen

Jan

36°

11mm87

17°

0mm410

Feb

37°

4mm210

19°

0mm378

Mar

37°

6mm179

21°

0mm398

Apr

38°

3mm282

30°

2mm358

May

38°

1mm346

30°

2mm412

Jun

36°

1mm348

37°

2mm327

Jul

35°

0mm372

39°

1mm362

Aug

35°

0mm374

40°

3mm338

Sep

37°

0mm354

37°

2mm363

Oct

37°

1mm330

31°

0mm430

Nov

37°

6mm271

24°

0mm430

Dec

33°

16mm41

19°

0mm410

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 Xiamen?

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 $2329.656998285683/mo for families
Major city energy with 2.1m residents
Peak season in October — 31 degrees, score 430

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Xiamen is the stronger pick. At $1894/mo it beats Makassar's $839/mo by 56%, and the 244 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Makassar Xiamen

ItemMakassarXiamenDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.3$2.99

57%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$9.72$17.79

45%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.24$4.84

33%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.78$3.77

53%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.07$2.14

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.92$3.56

18%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.5$0.56

11%

Water (0.33L)$0.26$0.45

42%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.24$1.39

11%

White bread (500g)$1$1.28

22%

White rice (1kg)$0.82$0.85

Eggs (12)$1.47$1.57

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.65$3.86

Beef round (1kg)$7.45$13.1

43%

Local cheese (1kg)$5.94$10.63

44%

Apples (1kg)$2.51$2.16

14%

Bananas (1kg)$0.86$1.19

28%

Oranges (1kg)$2.28$1.46

36%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.8$1.72

53%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.02$0.64

37%

Onions (1kg)$1.73$1.24

28%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.04$1.09

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.45$0.51

12%

Wine, mid-range bottle$12.96$12.81

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.27$0.66

71%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.52$0.99

72%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.07$2.85

27%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.32$0.28

12%

Monthly transport pass$9.72$8.54

12%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.58$1.42

59%

Taxi per 1km$0.45$0.36

20%

Taxi 1hr waiting$3.57$6.98

49%

Gasoline (1L)$0.81$1.19

32%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$24,955.34$18,506.13

26%

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,761.34$15,564.13

51%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51.2$49.32

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$41.59$9.15

78%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18$0.03

83%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$25.12$35.59

29%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$9.18$8.54

Cinema, 1 ticket$2.92$5.69

49%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$53.8$284.71

81%

International primary school/yr$4,861.43$9,964.84

51%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$45.36$42.64

Summer dress (chain store)$22.69$37.37

39%

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

19%

Men's leather business shoes$47.97$49.82

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$170.15$460.28

63%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$77.78$270.47

71%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$421.32$1,471

71%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$162.05$583.65

72%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,296.38$9,964.84

87%

Price per m², outside centre$421.32$4,626.53

91%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$231.19$891.28

74%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$10.67$5.18

51%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

Related Comparisons