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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $806 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,208 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,611 in Dumaguete.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 185% more expensive than in Dumaguete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Dumaguete is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$3.73 ₱234

371.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$15.69 ₱983

300.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$4.26 ₱267

171.83%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.32 ₱145

33.62%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.76 ₱47.92

227.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.43 ₱27.04

304.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.38 ₱86.4

152.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$1.89 ₱118

82.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.67 ₱105

-31.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.32 ₱82.9

44.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.93 ₱58.4

61.29%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.74 ₱109

128.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$8.53 ₱534

55.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$4.30 ₱270

86.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$7.22 ₱453

149.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.61 ₱101

45.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.29 ₱81.0

35.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$3.55 ₱222

-47.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.30 ₱81.5

96.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.51 ₱157

-26.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.32 ₱145

-9.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.77 ₱48.06

93.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.58 ₱36.49

41.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$2.40 ₱150

195.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$8.79 ₱551

-32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.13 ₱71.1

15.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.30 ₱81.3

63.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.38 ₱23.96

521.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

$10.12 ₱634

360.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.70 ₱43.59

482.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.15 ₱9.32

660.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$2.10 ₱132

713.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.98 ₱61.6

135.71%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

67.40%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$24.7K ₱1.5M

67.71%

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

$169 €147

$67.5 ₱4,231

149.63%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$9.72 ₱609

98.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$26.66 ₱1,671

25.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

$24.38 ₱1,528

100.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

$4.07 ₱255

377.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$6.96 ₱436

37.50%

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

$696 €606

$59.2 ₱3,711

1074.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$1,674 ₱104.9K

936.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$97.1 ₱6,084

8.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$32.32 ₱2,025

47.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$99.4 ₱6,229

1.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$113 ₱7,099

9.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

$234 ₱14.7K

609.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$209 ₱13.1K

496.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

$434 ₱27.2K

583.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

$357 ₱22.4K

473.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

$3,061 ₱191.8K

155.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

$668 ₱41.9K

567.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

$279 ₱17.5K

484.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-46.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $234 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 485% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $16.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $194 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 185% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $806 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 485% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $234 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $806 in Dumaguete – a 185% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 361% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $806 in Dumaguete versus $2,296 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 185% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.