Cartagena vs Dumaguete

Real cost of living, rent, internet, safety and visa terms for both cities, side by side — then open the interactive tool to weight them against your own priorities.

Cartagena, Colombia
🇨🇴Colombia

Cartagena

60Freedom Score#83Global rank$888Per month

Colombia's jewel on the Caribbean — a UNESCO walled colonial city, azure waters, perfect US market hours, and the warmth of the coast at a fraction of Miami prices.

Dumaguete, Philippines
🇵🇭Philippines

Dumaguete

69Freedom Score#51Global rank$850Per month

The 'City of Gentle People' — Dumaguete is a laid-back Philippine university town with 90% English proficiency, warm dives at Apo Island, and one of the lowest costs of living in Asia.

The short answer

Compare these two in the full toolBoth cities pre-loaded — add your income and priorities to get a personal match score

Cost of living

Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.

ExpenseCartagenaDumaguete
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$888$850✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$569$300✓
Meal, mid-range$18$5✓
Coworking deskper month$92$80✓
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper30.2✓34.0

Quality of life

Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.

MeasureCartagenaDumaguete
Safety
40
72
Healthcare
60
52
Walkability
60
68
English spoken
40
90
Food & dining
80
65
Nightlife
80
48
Outdoors
68
70
Nomad community
60
62
Climate quality
78
74
Public transit
40
40

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureCartagenaDumaguete
Freedom Score60/10069/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#83#51✓
Internet30 Mbps45 Mbps✓
Average temperature82°F82°F
Air quality45/10045/100
Airport connectivity60/100✓35/100
Nomad visa90 days30 days
Headline tax rateon local income0%20%

Which should you choose?

Choose Cartagena if the climate scores better and the headline tax rate is lower.

Choose Dumaguete if runs $38/mo cheaper, rent is $269/mo lower, internet is faster at 45 Mbps and it scores higher on safety (72 vs 40).

What each city is known for

Cartagena

  • US market opens at 9:30am — perfect trading schedule
  • UNESCO walled city: one of the Americas' most photogenic spots
  • Rosario Islands 45 minutes by boat — Caribbean paradise
  • Street food in Getsemani neighbourhood is world-class

Dumaguete

  • 90% English proficiency — easiest Asian city for English speakers
  • Gateway to Apo Island's world-class diving and whale sharks
  • Among the most affordable cities on the platform at $850/mo
  • Philippines' 0% territorial tax on foreign-sourced income

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Cartagena or Dumaguete?
Dumaguete scores higher on the Freedom Score (69/100 against 60/100), which makes it the stronger all-round base. That is an average, though — if cost, climate or community is what actually decides it for you, the tables above will point the other way as often as not.
Which is cheaper: Cartagena or Dumaguete?
Dumaguete is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $850 against $888, a difference of $38 a month or about $456 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $569/mo in Cartagena versus $300/mo in Dumaguete.
Which is safer: Cartagena or Dumaguete?
Dumaguete scores higher on safety, 72/100 against 40/100. Safety scores blend crime levels, political stability and healthcare access, and they describe a city as a whole — individual neighbourhoods vary far more than the headline number suggests.
How fast is the internet in Cartagena and Dumaguete?
Cartagena averages 30 Mbps and Dumaguete averages 45 Mbps, so Dumaguete has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Cartagena or Dumaguete?
Cartagena sits in Colombia (90 days) and Dumaguete in Philippines (30 days). Requirements, income floors and processing times change often, so check the visa and residency guide before you commit to either.
Open the interactive comparison

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Cost, connectivity and quality-of-life figures come from the YourLifeMatch city dataset. Where a value is not confirmed it reads n.a. rather than an estimate. Figures are for planning, not professional advice.