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: $916 in Porto Alegre versus $839 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,459 in Porto Alegre versus $1,320 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,003 in Porto Alegre versus $1,801 in Dumaguete.

Living in Porto Alegre is roughly 9% more expensive than in Dumaguete, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Porto Alegre 31% lower, Dumaguete 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 R$31.24

$3.10 ₱190

98.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.88 R$136

$14.40 ₱882

86.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 R$32.03

$4.45 ₱272

41.80%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.56

$2.32 ₱142

-18.97%

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

$1.16 R$5.90

$0.76 ₱46.58

52.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.25

$0.40 ₱24.32

110.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 R$10.71

$1.08 ₱66.2

95.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 R$17.79

$2.09 ₱128

67.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 R$4.61

$1.73 ₱106

-47.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 R$7.29

$1.48 ₱90.5

-2.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.35

$0.96 ₱59.1

9.38%

Eggs

$2.13 R$10.79

$1.92 ₱117

10.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 R$56.0

$9.50 ₱582

16.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 R$22.64

$5.26 ₱322

-15.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 R$47.50

$7.78 ₱476

20.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 R$10.44

$1.75 ₱107

17.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.44

$1.44 ₱87.9

-11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.51

$4.02 ₱246

-68.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.66

$1.45 ₱88.6

4.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.74

$2.39 ₱146

-52.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.47

$2.62 ₱161

-58.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 R$3.63

$0.87 ₱53.1

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 R$2.99

$0.65 ₱39.76

-9.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 R$10.08

$2.60 ₱159

-23.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 R$40.74

$7.91 ₱484

1.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 R$5.14

$1.17 ₱71.4

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 R$9.60

$1.96 ₱120

-3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 R$4.63

$0.51 ₱31.04

78.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.4 R$327

$8.61 ₱527

647.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 R$8.44

$0.82 ₱50.1

102.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 R$5.16

$0.27 ₱16.54

277.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 R$28.02

$0.93 ₱56.8

493.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.32

$1.10 ₱67.2

-4.55%

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

$24.7K R$125.3K

$23.1K ₱1.4M

6.66%

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

$28.0K R$141.9K

$39.0K ₱2.4M

-28.34%

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

$60.9 R$309

$74.3 ₱4,548

-18.02%

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

$14.76 R$74.9

$43.56 ₱2,668

-66.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.76 R$100

$29.45 ₱1,803

-32.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.36 R$134

$23.05 ₱1,412

14.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.26 R$103

$3.47 ₱213

483.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 R$31.49

$6.44 ₱395

-3.57%

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

$311 R$1,580

$70.8 ₱4,336

339.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,313 R$37.1K

$1,834 ₱112.3K

298.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.40 R$251

$107 ₱6,550

-53.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 R$286

$35.49 ₱2,173

58.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 R$408

$111 ₱6,783

-27.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.1 R$315

$83.4 ₱5,109

-25.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 R$1,525

$239 ₱14.6K

25.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 R$1,379

$211 ₱12.9K

28.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 R$3,175

$440 ₱26.9K

42.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 R$2,913

$415 ₱25.4K

38.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,651 R$8,380

$3,079 ₱188.6K

-46.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,248 R$6,336

$697 ₱42.7K

79.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 R$2,720

$292 ₱17.9K

83.76%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $301 in Porto Alegre and $239 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Porto Alegre pays 84% 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 $191 vs $212, 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 9% in total monthly costs ($916 vs $839 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 84% higher in Porto Alegre, 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: $301 in Porto Alegre versus $239 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $916 per month in Porto Alegre versus $839 in Dumaguete – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 647% 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 9% less than in Porto Alegre. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.