Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Semarang vs Yogyakarta

Semarang vs Yogyakarta

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Moderate / Moderate
Nomad Cost

$825

Semarang

$825

Yogyakarta

Internet

32

Mbps

32

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Semarang

Moderate

Yogyakarta

Air Quality

5/5

Semarang

5/5

Yogyakarta

Healthcare

Moderate

Semarang

Moderate

Yogyakarta

Population

1.6m

Semarang

388.6k

Yogyakarta

Semarang and Yogyakarta are both in Indonesia, making this one of the most common comparisons for digital nomads planning a base in the region. This guide breaks down the key differences across cost, internet, safety, weather, and quality of life.

Cost of Living

Both cities sit in a similar price range — Semarang at $825/mo and Yogyakarta at $825/mo — so cost alone is not a deciding factor here.

For families, Semarang costs $1605.588646314858/mo compared to Yogyakarta's $1172.573940454941/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Internet speeds are nearly identical — Semarang at 32 Mbps and Yogyakarta at 32 Mbps. Both handle video calls and uploads well.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Semarang and Yogyakarta.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Semarang is July (around 35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 397), while Yogyakarta peaks in July (35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 445). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

SemarangYogyakarta
Nomad$825/mo$825/mo
Expat$603/mo$532/mo
Local$459/mo$335/mo
Family$1,606/mo$1,173/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

SemarangYogyakarta
City Speed
32 Mbps
32 Mbps
Country Speed32 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

SemarangYogyakarta
Air Quality Score5/55/5
PollutionModerateModerate
ClimateModerateModerate
Humidity8879

Quality of Life

SemarangYogyakarta
SafetyModerateModerate
HealthcareModerateModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Semarang
Yogyakarta
Jan
34°
8mm237
36°
8mm265
Feb
35°
5mm222
38°
9mm352
Mar
36°
6mm253
38°
7mm265
Apr
37°
5mm319
38°
10mm281
May
37°
1mm373
37°
0mm421
Jun
36°
1mm368
37°
1mm416
Jul
35°
0mm397
35°
0mm445
Aug
36°
0mm397
35°
0mm432
Sep
36°
0mm397
36°
1mm435
Oct
37°
0mm382
37°
2mm343
Nov
36°
7mm319
38°
11mm281
Dec
34°
15mm207
36°
13mm235

Who Should Choose Semarang?

  • Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $825
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Family-friendly at $1605.588646314858/mo for families
  • Peak season in July — 35 degrees, score 397

Who Should Choose Yogyakarta?

  • Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $825
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Family-friendly at $1172.573940454941/mo for families
  • Smaller city feel with 388.6k residents
  • Peak season in July — 35 degrees, score 445

Overall Verdict

There is no clear overall winner — Semarang at $825/mo and Yogyakarta at $825/mo are in the same price bracket. Your lifestyle priorities will be the tiebreaker.

Granular Price Comparison

Semarang Yogyakarta
ItemSemarangYogyakartaDiff
🍽️Restaurants8 items
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.3$1.3
=
Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$9.72$7.78
20%
McMeal or equivalent combo$3.24$2.92
10%
Cappuccino (regular)$1.34$1.62
17%
Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.48$2.27
8%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.59$3.24
20%
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.42$0.64
34%
Water (0.33L)$0.2$0.26
23%
🛒Markets19 items
Milk (1L)$1.13$1.22
7%
White bread (500g)$0.97$0.98
1%
White rice (1kg)$0.81$0.81
=
Eggs (12)$1.29$1.34
4%
Chicken fillets (1kg)$2.96$2.4
19%
Beef round (1kg)$7.24$7.62
5%
Local cheese (1kg)$6.15$7.7
20%
Apples (1kg)$2.3$1.73
25%
Bananas (1kg)$1.3$1.18
9%
Oranges (1kg)$1.15$1.6
28%
Tomatoes (1kg)$0.86$0.87
1%
Potatoes (1kg)$1.15$1.04
10%
Onions (1kg)$1.38$1.92
28%
Lettuce (1 head)$0.55$0.74
26%
Water (1.5L bottle)$0.36$0.32
11%
Wine, mid-range bottle$12.15$9.72
20%
Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.03$2.87
29%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.98$4.86
39%
Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.94$2.2
12%
🚌Transport8 items
One-way local transport ticket$0.23$0.23
=
Monthly transport pass$18.18$9.86
46%
Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.58$0.65
11%
Taxi per 1km$0.32$0.65
51%
Taxi 1hr waiting$2.11$3.08
31%
Gasoline (1L)$0.79$0.8
1%
Volkswagen Golf (new)$23,334.86$22,479.25
4%
Toyota Corolla (new)$27,914.38$28,257.87
1%
⚡Utilities3 items
Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$40.19$45.37
11%
Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$28.38$24.36
14%
Mobile prepaid per minute$0.1$0.02
80%
🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items
Fitness club, monthly$29.17$36.46
20%
Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$12.15$4.86
60%
Cinema, 1 ticket$3.24$2.92
10%
👶Childcare2 items
Preschool, full-day private/mo$75.62$70.22
7%
International primary school/yr$6,009.65$4,453.72
26%
👗Clothing4 items
Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$32.39$34.84
7%
Summer dress (chain store)$22.69$32.39
30%
Nike running shoes (mid-range)$64.82$85.89
25%
Men's leather business shoes$37.81$82.1
54%
🏠Rent4 items
1-bedroom apartment, city centre$259.28$226.87
12%
1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$194.46$151.24
22%
3-bedroom apartment, city centre$680.6$885.86
23%
3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$550.96$379.84
31%
🏗️Buy2 items
Price per m², city centre$1,215.36$1,296.38
6%
Price per m², outside centre$378.11$345.7
9%
💰Finance2 items
Average monthly net salary$269$156.11
42%
Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$8.69$9.83
12%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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