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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $897 in Porto Alegre versus $854 in Dumaguete.

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

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

Living in Porto Alegre is roughly 5% more expensive than Dumaguete, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.35 R$32.13

$3.10 ₱188

104.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.58 R$135

$13.94 ₱847

90.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.24

$4.52 ₱275

40.93%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.78

$2.24 ₱136

-13.84%

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

$1.13 R$5.71

$0.71 ₱43.27

59.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.17

$0.36 ₱21.93

127.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 R$10.61

$1.09 ₱66.3

92.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 R$18.56

$2.09 ₱127

75.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 R$4.54

$1.70 ₱103

-47.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 R$7.00

$1.43 ₱87.1

-3.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.52

$0.97 ₱59.2

12.37%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.51

$2.00 ₱121

4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 R$55.1

$9.41 ₱572

15.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 R$22.79

$5.09 ₱309

-11.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 R$49.07

$8.04 ₱488

20.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.30

$1.78 ₱108

14.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.62

$1.45 ₱87.9

-9.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.46

$4.07 ₱247

-68.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.62

$1.45 ₱88.0

4.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.77

$2.37 ₱144

-51.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.46

$2.61 ₱159

-58.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.88

$0.90 ₱54.9

-14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.11

$0.60 ₱36.60

1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 R$10.08

$2.62 ₱159

-24.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 R$38.74

$8.01 ₱487

-4.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 R$5.18

$1.23 ₱74.8

-17.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 R$9.12

$1.97 ₱120

-8.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 R$4.57

$0.47 ₱28.43

91.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 R$327

$8.97 ₱544

619.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 R$8.32

$0.83 ₱50.1

97.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 R$5.37

$0.25 ₱15.00

324.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 R$27.54

$0.91 ₱55.1

497.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.36

$1.15 ₱69.8

-7.83%

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

$24.3K R$122.8K

$23.2K ₱1.4M

4.53%

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

$27.8K R$140.6K

$39.1K ₱2.4M

-28.90%

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

$61.2 R$310

$73.2 ₱4,443

-16.35%

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

$14.39 R$72.9

$44.75 ₱2,718

-67.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.07 R$102

$29.04 ₱1,763

-30.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.47 R$134

$23.81 ₱1,446

11.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.62 R$104

$3.65 ₱221

464.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 R$32.46

$6.24 ₱379

2.72%

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

$313 R$1,586

$72.5 ₱4,401

332.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,143 R$36.2K

$1,825 ₱110.8K

291.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.97 R$248

$107 ₱6,510

-54.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.3 R$290

$36.05 ₱2,189

58.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 R$404

$109 ₱6,597

-26.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.8 R$313

$82.8 ₱5,028

-25.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 R$1,566

$247 ₱15.0K

25.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 R$1,373

$209 ₱12.7K

29.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 R$3,154

$443 ₱26.9K

40.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,857

$419 ₱25.4K

34.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,633 R$8,267

$3,067 ₱186.2K

-46.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,243 R$6,294

$698 ₱42.4K

78.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 R$2,542

$291 ₱17.7K

72.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

53.85%

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

Last update for Porto Alegre: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $309 in Porto Alegre and $247 in Dumaguete. 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: $27.00 in Porto Alegre vs $14.00 in Dumaguete. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $211, 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

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

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

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

All in, you'll spend $897 per month in Porto Alegre versus $854 in Dumaguete – 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, Porto Alegre 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 5% less than in Porto Alegre. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.