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: $988 in Porto Alegre versus $806 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,515 in Porto Alegre versus $1,208 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,042 in Porto Alegre versus $1,611 in Dumaguete.

Living in Porto Alegre is roughly 23% more expensive than in Dumaguete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Porto Alegre 28% lower, Dumaguete 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 R$39.78

$3.73 ₱234

106.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.29 R$202

$15.69 ₱984

150.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 R$34.46

$4.26 ₱267

57.04%

Cappuccino

$2.66 R$13.73

$2.32 ₱145

14.66%

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

$1.36 R$7.00

$0.76 ₱47.96

78.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.33

$0.43 ₱27.06

139.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 R$12.30

$1.38 ₱86.5

73.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 R$14.70

$1.89 ₱119

50.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.93

$1.67 ₱105

-42.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 R$8.21

$1.32 ₱82.9

20.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.55

$0.93 ₱58.5

16.13%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.53

$1.74 ₱109

39.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 R$52.2

$8.53 ₱535

18.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 R$23.99

$4.30 ₱270

8.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 R$49.63

$7.22 ₱453

33.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$11.95

$1.61 ₱101

44.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.36

$1.29 ₱81.0

10.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.29

$3.55 ₱222

-60.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.14

$1.30 ₱81.6

21.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.26

$2.51 ₱157

-51.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.63

$2.32 ₱145

-53.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 R$4.31

$0.77 ₱48.10

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 R$4.16

$0.58 ₱36.52

39.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 R$12.66

$2.40 ₱150

2.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 R$39.53

$8.79 ₱551

-12.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 R$5.81

$1.13 ₱71.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 R$10.85

$1.30 ₱81.3

62.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.18

$0.38 ₱23.98

165.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.2 R$295

$10.12 ₱635

465.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 R$6.58

$0.70 ₱43.63

82.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.38

$0.15 ₱9.33

466.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 R$40.35

$2.10 ₱132

272.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R$6.76

$0.98 ₱61.7

33.67%

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

$23.6K R$121.5K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

15.66%

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

$33.0K R$169.9K

$24.7K ₱1.5M

33.69%

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

$72.7 R$375

$67.5 ₱4,235

7.67%

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

$12.30 R$63.4

$9.72 ₱610

26.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.80 R$112

$26.66 ₱1,672

-18.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.71 R$153

$24.38 ₱1,529

21.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.52 R$157

$4.07 ₱255

649.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$36.42

$6.96 ₱437

1.58%

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

$549 R$2,826

$59.2 ₱3,715

826.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K R$131.8K

$1,674 ₱105.0K

1427.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.36 R$254

$97.1 ₱6,089

-49.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 R$296

$32.32 ₱2,027

77.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 R$517

$99.4 ₱6,234

1.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 R$392

$113 ₱7,105

-32.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 R$2,430

$234 ₱14.7K

101.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 R$1,452

$209 ₱13.1K

34.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 R$4,137

$434 ₱27.2K

85.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 R$2,311

$357 ₱22.4K

25.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,675 R$8,631

$3,061 ₱192.0K

-45.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,244 R$6,408

$668 ₱41.9K

86.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 R$2,731

$279 ₱17.5K

90.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

64.29%

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

Last update for Porto Alegre: September 15, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $472 in Porto Alegre and $234 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Porto Alegre pays 90% 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: $39.00 in Porto Alegre vs $16.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 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

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

Porto Alegre and Dumaguete differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($988 vs $806 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 90% 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: $472 in Porto Alegre versus $234 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $988 per month in Porto Alegre versus $806 in Dumaguete – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 466% less than in Porto Alegre. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $806 in Dumaguete versus $988 in Porto Alegre, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dumaguete but tight or insufficient in Porto Alegre. 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, 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 23% less than in Porto Alegre. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.