Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Encarnacion Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Encarnacion

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $581 in Semarang versus $827 in Encarnacion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $928 in Semarang versus $1,261 in Encarnacion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,274 in Semarang versus $1,695 in Encarnacion.

Living in Semarang costs roughly 30% less than in Encarnacion, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Semarang 58% lower, Encarnacion 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

$4.25 ₲25.1K

-65.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.54 Rp 185.6K

$33.27 ₲196.4K

-68.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

$6.75 ₲39.8K

-53.48%

Cappuccino

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

$2.50 ₲14.8K

-50.40%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,635

$1.43 ₲8,415

-65.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 Rp 3,148

$0.52 ₲3,068

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.89 ₲5,282

96.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 Rp 60.3K

$2.00 ₲11.8K

71.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.10 ₲6,498

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 Rp 16.9K

$0.84 ₲4,930

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

$1.75 ₲10.4K

-54.86%

Eggs

$1.38 Rp 24.3K

$1.57 ₲9,282

-12.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.66 Rp 99.6K

$5.19 ₲30.6K

9.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 41.6K

$3.19 ₲18.8K

-26.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 Rp 143.6K

$5.51 ₲32.5K

48.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

$2.07 ₲12.2K

21.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

$0.77 ₲4,523

98.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

$0.92 ₲5,407

96.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.70 ₲10.1K

-8.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 31.5K

$0.88 ₲5,197

103.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

$0.91 ₲5,359

145.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

$0.59 ₲3,455

40.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,375

$0.51 ₲3,032

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 Rp 39.8K

$1.62 ₲9,551

39.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 Rp 249.5K

$5.41 ₲31.9K

161.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 Rp 41.4K

$0.84 ₲4,941

179.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 Rp 47.5K

$1.52 ₲8,996

77.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,246

$0.46 ₲2,717

-47.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.32 Rp 252.2K

$34.99 ₲206.5K

-59.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

$1.31 ₲7,706

-32.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,129

$0.65 ₲3,846

-55.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 ₲39.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$1.13 ₲6,675

-29.20%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.0K Rp 405.1M

$14.2K ₲83.6M

62.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.1K Rp 547.6M

$25.8K ₲152.5M

20.36%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

$43.31 ₲255.7K

57.17%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

$13.22 ₲78.0K

-79.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.77 Rp 365.6K

$18.17 ₲107.3K

14.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.00 Rp 369.8K

$30.53 ₲180.2K

-31.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.76 Rp 83.8K

$12.89 ₲76.1K

-63.07%

Cinema Ticket

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

$5.90 ₲34.8K

-62.37%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$40.97 Rp 721.3K

$196 ₲1.2M

-79.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

$3,242 ₲19.1M

-31.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.65 Rp 504.3K

$56.3 ₲332.4K

-49.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.45 Rp 518.4K

$27.59 ₲162.9K

6.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 Rp 1.0M

$67.5 ₲398.3K

-12.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.84 Rp 701.5K

$67.4 ₲397.7K

-40.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 Rp 4.0M

$486 ₲2.9M

-52.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$143 Rp 2.5M

$318 ₲1.9M

-54.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 Rp 8.7M

$663 ₲3.9M

-25.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 Rp 6.9M

$518 ₲3.1M

-23.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,178 Rp 20.7M

$1,586 ₲9.4M

-25.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$557 Rp 9.8M

$1,381 ₲8.2M

-59.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$368 ₲2.2M

-46.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.83

9.5

-17.58%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Semarang: September 6, 2026

Last update for Encarnacion: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $229 in Semarang and $486 in Encarnacion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Encarnacion pays 88% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $11.00 in Semarang vs $33.00 in Encarnacion. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $139, with Encarnacion cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Semarang vs Encarnacion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Semarang and Encarnacion differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($581 vs $827 including rent). Semarang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 88% lower in Encarnacion. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $229 in Semarang versus $486 in Encarnacion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $581 per month in Semarang versus $827 in Encarnacion – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Semarang runs roughly 144% less than in Encarnacion. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Semarang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Semarang and Encarnacion are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Semarang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Encarnacion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.