Cost of Living Comparison Between Dumaguete and Porto Alegre Cost of Living Comparison Between Dumaguete and Porto Alegre

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $806 in Dumaguete versus $988 in Porto Alegre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,208 in Dumaguete versus $1,515 in Porto Alegre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,611 in Dumaguete versus $2,042 in Porto Alegre.

Living in Dumaguete costs roughly 18% less than in Porto Alegre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dumaguete 41% lower, Porto Alegre 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 ₱234

$7.72 R$39.78

-51.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.69 ₱984

$39.29 R$202

-60.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 ₱267

$6.69 R$34.46

-36.32%

Cappuccino

$2.32 ₱145

$2.66 R$13.73

-12.78%

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

$0.76 ₱47.96

$1.36 R$7.00

-44.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱27.06

$1.03 R$5.33

-58.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₱86.5

$2.39 R$12.30

-42.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₱119

$2.85 R$14.70

-33.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ₱105

$0.96 R$4.93

73.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$1.59 R$8.21

-16.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱58.5

$1.08 R$5.55

-13.89%

Eggs

$1.74 ₱109

$2.43 R$12.53

-28.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 ₱535

$10.12 R$52.2

-15.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 ₱270

$4.66 R$23.99

-7.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.22 ₱453

$9.63 R$49.63

-25.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 ₱101

$2.32 R$11.95

-30.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ₱81.0

$1.43 R$7.36

-9.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 ₱222

$1.41 R$7.29

151.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₱81.6

$1.58 R$8.14

-17.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 ₱157

$1.21 R$6.26

107.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 ₱145

$1.09 R$5.63

112.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₱48.10

$0.84 R$4.31

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱36.52

$0.81 R$4.16

-28.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 ₱150

$2.46 R$12.66

-2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.79 ₱551

$7.67 R$39.53

14.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.2

$1.13 R$5.81

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.3

$2.11 R$10.85

-38.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₱23.98

$1.01 R$5.18

-62.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 ₱635

$57.2 R$295

-82.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₱43.63

$1.28 R$6.58

-45.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.15 ₱9.33

$0.85 R$4.38

-82.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱132

$7.83 R$40.35

-73.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 ₱61.7

$1.31 R$6.76

-25.19%

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

$20.4K ₱1.3M

$23.6K R$121.5K

-13.54%

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

$24.7K ₱1.5M

$33.0K R$169.9K

-25.20%

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

$67.5 ₱4,235

$72.7 R$375

-7.13%

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

$9.72 ₱610

$12.30 R$63.4

-20.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.66 ₱1,672

$21.80 R$112

22.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.38 ₱1,529

$29.71 R$153

-17.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.07 ₱255

$30.52 R$157

-86.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.96 ₱437

$7.07 R$36.42

-1.56%

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

$59.2 ₱3,715

$549 R$2,826

-89.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,674 ₱105.0K

$25.6K R$131.8K

-93.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.1 ₱6,089

$49.36 R$254

96.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.32 ₱2,027

$57.4 R$296

-43.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 ₱6,234

$100 R$517

-1.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₱7,105

$76.1 R$392

48.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 ₱14.7K

$472 R$2,430

-50.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱13.1K

$282 R$1,452

-25.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ₱27.2K

$803 R$4,137

-46.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₱22.4K

$449 R$2,311

-20.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,061 ₱192.0K

$1,675 R$8,631

82.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$668 ₱41.9K

$1,244 R$6,408

-46.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 ₱17.5K

$530 R$2,731

-47.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

-39.13%

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

Last update for Dumaguete: September 12, 2026

Last update for Porto Alegre: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Dumaguete and $472 in Porto Alegre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Porto Alegre pays 90% 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: $16.00 in Dumaguete vs $39.00 in Porto Alegre for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $200 per month, with Dumaguete cheaper across the board.

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

Dumaguete vs Porto Alegre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dumaguete and Porto Alegre differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($806 vs $988 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Porto Alegre. 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: $234 in Dumaguete versus $472 in Porto Alegre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $806 per month in Dumaguete versus $988 in Porto Alegre – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 466% less than in Porto Alegre. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $806 in Dumaguete versus $988 in Porto Alegre, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dumaguete but tight or insufficient in Porto Alegre. The gap between the two cities makes Dumaguete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Dumaguete and Porto Alegre 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 Dumaguete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Porto Alegre. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.