Dumaguete vs Quy Nhon
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.
Quy Nhon
A still-under-the-radar Vietnamese coastal gem — Quy Nhon offers pristine beaches, fresh seafood, and one of the lowest costs of living anywhere, with a quiet, laid-back pace.
The short answer
- Dumaguete scores higher overall, 69/100 vs 63/100
- Quy Nhon is cheaper by $50/mo — about $600 a year
- Quy Nhon has faster internet, 60 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 | Quy Nhon |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable budgetper month, all in | $850 | $800✓ |
| Rent, 1BR city centre | $300 | $300 |
| Meal, mid-range | $5 | $5 |
| Coworking deskper month | $80 | n.a. |
| Cost of living indexlower is cheaper | 34.0 | 32.0✓ |
Quality of life
Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.
| Measure | Dumaguete | Quy Nhon |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | ||
| Healthcare | ||
| Walkability | ||
| English spoken | ||
| Food & dining | ||
| Nightlife | ||
| Outdoors | ||
| Nomad community | ||
| Climate quality | ||
| Public transit |
Scores, connectivity and paperwork
| Measure | Dumaguete | Quy Nhon |
|---|---|---|
| Freedom Score | 69/100✓ | 63/100 |
| Global rankof 100 cities | #51✓ | #76 |
| Internet | 45 Mbps | 60 Mbps✓ |
| Average temperature | 82°F | 82°F |
| Air quality | 45/100✓ | 30/100 |
| Airport connectivity | 35/100 | 35/100 |
| Nomad visa | 30 days | 45 days |
| Headline tax rateon local income | 20% | 15% |
Which should you choose?
Choose Dumaguete if it is more walkable, English is more widely spoken and the nomad community is larger.
Choose Quy Nhon if runs $50/mo cheaper, internet is faster at 60 Mbps 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
Quy Nhon
- One of the cheapest beach cities on the platform at $800/mo
- Uncrowded golden-sand beaches and fresh daily seafood
- Vietnam's 0% non-resident tax on foreign income under 183 days
- Quiet, slow-paced alternative to Da Nang and Nha Trang