Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dumaguete Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dumaguete

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $861 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,330 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,800 in Dumaguete.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 157% more expensive than Dumaguete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Dumaguete is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$3.21 ₱198

395.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$14.15 ₱873

357.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$4.39 ₱270

139.41%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.32 ₱143

23.71%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.77 ₱47.19

190.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.36 ₱22.29

316.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.07 ₱66.1

226.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.14 ₱132

81.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.74 ₱107

-34.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.44 ₱88.6

21.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.03 ₱63.6

70.87%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.00 ₱124

61.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$9.46 ₱583

42.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$5.11 ₱315

54.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$7.99 ₱493

98.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.76 ₱108

31.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.38 ₱85.4

23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$4.05 ₱250

-50.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.38 ₱85.4

78.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.40 ₱148

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.62 ₱162

-23.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.86 ₱52.8

124.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.61 ₱37.54

29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.59 ₱159

155.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$7.99 ₱493

-28.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.22 ₱75.4

12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.96 ₱121

51.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.50 ₱30.84

374.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$8.90 ₱549

411.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.78 ₱47.88

450.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.27 ₱16.83

203.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$0.91 ₱56.1

1910.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.15 ₱70.6

79.13%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$22.7K ₱1.4M

51.17%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$38.5K ₱2.4M

2.00%

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

$148 €127

$74.3 ₱4,580

99.07%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$44.54 ₱2,747

-53.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$29.05 ₱1,791

36.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$23.73 ₱1,463

101.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$3.50 ₱216

440.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$6.15 ₱379

49.27%

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

$614 €528

$70.7 ₱4,361

768.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$1,887 ₱116.4K

750.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$108 ₱6,646

-2.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$35.97 ₱2,218

16.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$110 ₱6,799

-14.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$84.5 ₱5,209

41.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$242 ₱14.9K

572.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$213 ₱13.1K

490.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$439 ₱27.1K

589.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$417 ₱25.7K

384.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$3,117 ₱192.2K

150.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$689 ₱42.5K

519.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$283 ₱17.5K

465.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.5

-41.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $242 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 466% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $14.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $211 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

Lisbon vs Dumaguete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Dumaguete differ by about 157% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $861 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 466% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $242 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $861 in Dumaguete – a 157% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 412% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Dumaguete versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dumaguete but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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, Lisbon and Dumaguete 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 157% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.