---
title: "Colombo vs Semarang for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/colombo-vs-semarang
description: "Under balanced weights Colombo edges it, 55 to 51, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Colombo is stronger on healthcare; Semarang on internet. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Colombo vs Semarang for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Colombo edges it, 55 to 51, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Colombo is stronger on healthcare; Semarang on internet. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Colombo | Semarang | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 68 | 60 | Colombo |
| Safety | 63 | 67 | Semarang |
| Healthcare | 72 | 56 | Colombo |
| Internet | 37 | 48 | Semarang |
| Visa ease | 64 | 54 | Colombo |
| Getting there & around | 50 | 41 | Colombo |
| Climate | 25 | 33 | Semarang |
| Air quality | 59 | 53 | Colombo |
| Quality of life | 52 | 45 | Colombo |

## Cost

| Metric | Colombo | Semarang | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $820 | $1,000 | Colombo |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Colombo | Semarang | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 2.51 | 0.41 | Semarang |
| Political stability (0–100) | 64.9 | 52.7 | Colombo |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 72 | 67 | Colombo |
| Life expectancy | 77.2 yrs | 68.3 yrs | Colombo |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Colombo | Semarang | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 7.2 Mbps | 11.4 Mbps | Semarang |
| Upload | 2 Mbps | 5.2 Mbps | Semarang |

## Visa

| Metric | Colombo | Semarang | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad visa | Remote worker visa (E33G) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $2,000/mo | $5,000/mo | Colombo |
| Entry, US passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Colombo | Semarang | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 55 | 14 | Colombo |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | Semarang |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Colombo | Semarang | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 4 | Semarang |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 23.6 µg/m³ | 26.3 µg/m³ | Colombo |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Colombo or Semarang?

Colombo is cheaper: about $820 per month versus $1,000 for one person.

### Is Colombo or Semarang safer?

Semarang scores higher on safety (67 vs 63), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Colombo or Semarang?

Semarang: a measured median of 11.4 Mbps versus 7.2 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Colombo](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/colombo) · [Semarang](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/semarang). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/colombo-vs-semarang