Dumaguete vs Lima
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.
Dumaguete
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.
Lima
The gastronomic capital of the Americas — Lima pairs world-class Miraflores dining and a Pacific cliffside lifestyle with South America's most underrated value, fast internet, and a growing creative scene.
The short answer
- Lima scores higher overall, 74/100 vs 69/100
- Dumaguete is cheaper by $517/mo — about $6,204 a year
- Dumaguete is the safer of the two, 72/100 vs 52/100
- Lima has faster internet, 100 Mbps vs 45 Mbps
Cost of living
Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.
| Expense | Dumaguete | Lima |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable budgetper month, all in | $850✓ | $1,367 |
| Rent, 1BR city centre | $300✓ | $774 |
| Meal, mid-range | $5✓ | $12 |
| Coworking deskper month | $80✓ | $160 |
| Cost of living indexlower is cheaper | 34.0✓ | 54.0 |
Quality of life
Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.
| Measure | Dumaguete | Lima |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | ||
| Healthcare | ||
| Walkability | ||
| English spoken | ||
| Food & dining | ||
| Nightlife | ||
| Outdoors | ||
| Nomad community | ||
| Climate quality | ||
| Public transit |
Scores, connectivity and paperwork
| Measure | Dumaguete | Lima |
|---|---|---|
| Freedom Score | 69/100 | 74/100✓ |
| Global rankof 100 cities | #51 | #35✓ |
| Internet | 45 Mbps | 100 Mbps✓ |
| Average temperature | 82°F | 66°F |
| Air quality | 45/100 | 55/100✓ |
| Airport connectivity | 35/100 | 78/100✓ |
| Nomad visa | 30 days | 90 days |
| Headline tax rateon local income | 20% | 15% |
Which should you choose?
Choose Dumaguete if runs $517/mo cheaper, rent is $474/mo lower, it scores higher on safety (72 vs 52) and English is more widely spoken.
Choose Lima if internet is faster at 100 Mbps, it is more walkable and the headline tax rate is lower.
What each city is known for
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
Lima
- Back-to-back World's 50 Best Restaurant wins — unmatched food scene
- Fast 100 Mbps fiber and a growing Barranco/Miraflores creative hub
- Pacific cliffside malecón living at a fraction of coastal-city prices
- Perfect US market alignment — open at 10:30am local time