Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Hong Kong

For one person, living is cheaper in Semarang: $599 a month against $2,984 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $28,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Semarang
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Semarang Living Index
144

Cost of Living Index in Hong Kong
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Hong Kong Living Index

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Semarang

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$599

/mo nomad

Hong Kong

🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)

$2,984

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Semarang and in Hong Kong

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Semarang and in Hong Kong actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $599 per month in Semarang vs $2,984 in Hong Kong, rent included.

Semarang $599
Hong Kong $2,984

A couple spends around $945 per month in Semarang vs $4,584 in Hong Kong, rent included.

Semarang $945
Hong Kong $4,584

A family of three spends $1,292 per month in Semarang vs $6,183 in Hong Kong, rent included.

Semarang $1,292
Hong Kong $6,183

Semarang is about 80% cheaper than Hong Kong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Semarang sits 56% below the global median, while Hong Kong is 121% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

$7.75 HK$60.8

-82.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 Rp 191.3K

$64.7 HK$508

-83.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.07 Rp 55.3K

$6.18 HK$48.51

-50.32%

Cappuccino

$1.28 Rp 23.1K

$5.08 HK$39.85

-74.80%

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

$0.48 Rp 8,633

$1.31 HK$10.31

-63.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 Rp 3,641

$1.09 HK$8.56

-81.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 Rp 29.2K

$7.47 HK$58.6

-78.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 Rp 61.1K

$6.50 HK$51.0

-47.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

$2.89 HK$22.71

-62.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

$2.31 HK$18.14

-61.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$2.13 HK$16.71

-63.38%

Eggs

$1.24 Rp 22.3K

$3.52 HK$27.65

-64.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.99 Rp 71.9K

$24.72 HK$194

-83.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.44 Rp 44.0K

$8.52 HK$66.9

-71.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 Rp 135.5K

$18.00 HK$141

-58.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 Rp 37.3K

$4.18 HK$32.79

-50.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

$2.68 HK$21.07

-52.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 33.2K

$4.49 HK$35.22

-59.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.8K

$4.03 HK$31.66

-63.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.6K

$3.12 HK$24.51

-56.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$3.15 HK$24.72

-37.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 16.3K

$1.62 HK$12.75

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,529

$1.74 HK$13.66

-75.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 Rp 35.3K

$13.50 HK$106

-85.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.63 Rp 443.3K

$16.54 HK$130

48.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 Rp 30.6K

$1.94 HK$15.19

-12.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 Rp 36.1K

$2.18 HK$17.11

-8.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 Rp 3,778

$1.41 HK$11.04

-85.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.21 Rp 255.8K

$88.6 HK$696

-83.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,539

$3.69 HK$28.94

-87.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 Rp 4,808

$1.32 HK$10.36

-79.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 Rp 49.0K

$15.77 HK$124

-82.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

$4.03 HK$31.65

-79.65%

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

$25.2K Rp 453.9M

$44.7K HK$350.5K

-43.54%

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

$32.3K Rp 581.4M

$37.8K HK$296.6K

-14.52%

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

$85.9 Rp 1.5M

$250 HK$1,959

-65.58%

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

$2.64 Rp 47.5K

$15.60 HK$122

-83.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.37 Rp 348.6K

$21.77 HK$171

-11.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.70 Rp 372.6K

$94.2 HK$739

-78.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.68 Rp 84.2K

$9.29 HK$72.9

-49.62%

Cinema Ticket

$2.19 Rp 39.4K

$13.91 HK$109

-84.26%

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

$51.1 Rp 920.3K

$1,162 HK$9,122

-95.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,063 Rp 37.1M

$21.9K HK$171.6K

-90.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.51 Rp 639.1K

$68.0 HK$534

-47.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.67 Rp 534.1K

$41.91 HK$329

-29.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$79.7 HK$626

-28.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.38 Rp 690.8K

$122 HK$956

-68.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 Rp 4.1M

$2,241 HK$17.6K

-89.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 Rp 2.5M

$1,718 HK$13.5K

-91.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 Rp 9.0M

$5,041 HK$39.6K

-90.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 Rp 6.8M

$3,435 HK$27.0K

-88.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,211 Rp 21.8M

$29.2K HK$229.0K

-95.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$825 Rp 14.9M

$17.6K HK$137.9K

-95.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 Rp 3.4M

$3,271 HK$25.7K

-94.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.82

3.91

125.58%

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

Last update for Semarang: October 12, 2026

Last update for Hong Kong: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Semarang

$186 31%

Hong Kong

$411 13.8% 121% $225

Accommodation & Living

Semarang

$138 23%

Hong Kong

$1.7K 57.6% 1149% $1.6K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Semarang

$108 18%

Hong Kong

$287 9.6% 166% $179

Clothing & Footwear

Semarang

$72 12.1%

Hong Kong

$140 4.7% 94.1% $68

Eating Out

Semarang

$53 8.9%

Hong Kong

$201 6.8% 278% $148

Sport & Entertainment

Semarang

$25 4.2%

Hong Kong

$122 4.1% 386% $97

Getting Around

Semarang

$17 2.8%

Hong Kong

$105 3.5% 520% $88

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $231 in Semarang versus $2,241 in Hong Kong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1614% higher in Hong Kong, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Semarang versus $65.0 in Hong Kong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $411 – making Semarang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Semarang

🇭🇰 Hong Kong

🕒 Local time

18:31 6:31 PM

19:31 7:31 PM

1 h ahead of Semarang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,555,984

1,367,900 Capital

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Hong Kong Dollar HKD $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

1 HKD = 0.127 USD

1 HKD = 0.113 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HKD, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 7.85 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.82 HKD (1 HKD = 0.113 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Semarang Hong Kong 3,280 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Semarang
Hong Kong

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Hong Kong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $599 in Semarang, $2,984 in Hong Kong – roughly 398% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $898 per month in Semarang and $4,476 in Hong Kong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Semarang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Semarang and $65.0 in Hong Kong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $599 in Semarang and $2,984 in Hong Kong. That's a gap of about 398%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Semarang, where all-in costs run around $599, than in Hong Kong at $2,984. In Semarang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hong Kong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hong Kong has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $599 in Semarang to $2,984 in Hong Kong. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Semarang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hong Kong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.