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: $854 in Dumaguete versus $897 in Porto Alegre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Dumaguete versus $1,457 in Porto Alegre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Dumaguete versus $2,018 in Porto Alegre.

Living in Dumaguete costs roughly 5% less than in Porto Alegre, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dumaguete 36% lower, Porto Alegre 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 ₱188

$6.35 R$32.13

-51.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.94 ₱847

$26.58 R$135

-47.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.52 ₱275

$6.37 R$32.24

-29.04%

Cappuccino

$2.24 ₱136

$1.93 R$9.78

16.06%

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

$0.71 ₱43.27

$1.13 R$5.71

-37.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱21.93

$0.82 R$4.17

-56.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₱66.3

$2.10 R$10.61

-48.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₱127

$3.67 R$18.56

-43.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ₱103

$0.90 R$4.54

88.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱87.1

$1.38 R$7.00

3.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱59.2

$1.09 R$5.52

-11.01%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱121

$2.08 R$10.51

-3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 ₱572

$10.89 R$55.1

-13.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 ₱309

$4.50 R$22.79

13.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 ₱488

$9.69 R$49.07

-17.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ₱108

$2.03 R$10.30

-12.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱87.9

$1.31 R$6.62

10.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 ₱247

$1.28 R$6.46

217.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ₱88.0

$1.51 R$7.62

-3.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱144

$1.14 R$5.77

107.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 ₱159

$1.08 R$5.46

141.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₱54.9

$0.77 R$3.88

16.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₱36.60

$0.61 R$3.11

-1.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 ₱159

$1.99 R$10.08

31.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱487

$7.65 R$38.74

4.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱74.8

$1.02 R$5.18

20.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₱120

$1.80 R$9.12

9.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱28.43

$0.90 R$4.57

-47.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.97 ₱544

$64.5 R$327

-86.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱50.1

$1.64 R$8.32

-49.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.00

$1.06 R$5.37

-76.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₱55.1

$5.44 R$27.54

-83.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱69.8

$1.06 R$5.36

8.49%

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

$23.2K ₱1.4M

$24.3K R$122.8K

-4.34%

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

$39.1K ₱2.4M

$27.8K R$140.6K

40.64%

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

$73.2 ₱4,443

$61.2 R$310

19.54%

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

$44.75 ₱2,718

$14.39 R$72.9

210.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.04 ₱1,763

$20.07 R$102

44.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.81 ₱1,446

$26.47 R$134

-10.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.65 ₱221

$20.62 R$104

-82.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.24 ₱379

$6.41 R$32.46

-2.65%

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

$72.5 ₱4,401

$313 R$1,586

-76.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,825 ₱110.8K

$7,143 R$36.2K

-74.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 ₱6,510

$48.97 R$248

118.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 ₱2,189

$57.3 R$290

-37.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ₱6,597

$79.9 R$404

36.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 ₱5,028

$61.8 R$313

33.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 ₱15.0K

$309 R$1,566

-20.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.7K

$271 R$1,373

-22.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ₱26.9K

$623 R$3,154

-28.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 ₱25.4K

$564 R$2,857

-25.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,067 ₱186.2K

$1,633 R$8,267

87.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$698 ₱42.4K

$1,243 R$6,294

-43.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$291 ₱17.7K

$502 R$2,542

-41.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-35.00%

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

Last update for Dumaguete: June 7, 2026

Last update for Porto Alegre: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $247 in Dumaguete and $309 in Porto Alegre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Porto Alegre pays 72% 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: $14.00 in Dumaguete vs $27.00 in Porto Alegre. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $190, with Porto Alegre 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

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

Dumaguete and Porto Alegre differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($854 vs $897 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Porto Alegre earns 72% less. 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: $247 in Dumaguete versus $309 in Porto Alegre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $854 per month in Dumaguete versus $897 in Porto Alegre – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 619% less than in Porto Alegre. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Dumaguete 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, 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 5% less than in Porto Alegre. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.