Gili Trawangan vs Makassar
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Gili Trawangan edges it, 56 to 55, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Gili Trawangan is stronger on climate; Makassar on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Car-free party island off Lombok with turtles in the shallows
Full Gili Trawangan profile →Hotels in Indonesia →Eastern Indonesia's big port city, gateway to Toraja and Sulawesi's reefs
Full Makassar profile →Where to stay in Makassar →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Gili Trawangan | Makassar |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 60 | 60 |
| Safety | 67 | 67 |
| Healthcare | 56 | 56 |
| Internet | 37 | 46 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 54 | 54 |
| Getting there & around | 45 | 47 ✓ |
| Climate | 58 ✓ | 42 |
| Air quality | 84 ✓ | 76 |
| Quality of life | 45 | 45 |
Cost
| Metric | Gili Trawangan | Makassar |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Gili Trawangan | Makassar |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.41 | 0.41 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 52.7 | 52.7 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 67 | 67 |
| Life expectancy | 68.3 yrs | 68.3 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Gili Trawangan | Makassar |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 6.2 Mbps | 10.5 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 3.2 Mbps | 4 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | Gili Trawangan | Makassar |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Remote worker visa (E33G) | Remote worker visa (E33G) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $5,000/mo | $5,000/mo |
| Entry, US passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival |
| Entry, EU passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival |
| Entry, UK passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Gili Trawangan | Makassar |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 13 | 41 ✓ |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 5 ✓ | 2 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 ✓ |
Climate and air
| Metric | Gili Trawangan | Makassar |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 7 ✓ | 5 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 12.2 µg/m³ ✓ | 15.9 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Gili Trawangan or Makassar?
- Makassar is cheaper: about $1,000 per month versus $1,000 for one person.
- Is Gili Trawangan or Makassar safer?
- Gili Trawangan scores higher on safety (67 vs 67), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Gili Trawangan or Makassar?
- Makassar: a measured median of 10.5 Mbps versus 6.2 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Gili Trawangan vs Labuan Bajo
- Gili Trawangan vs Yogyakarta
- Makassar vs Yogyakarta
- Makassar vs Malang
- All comparisons
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); 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); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.