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Philippines

Dumaguete

Beginner-friendly university city with real access to Apo Island's marine sanctuary diving.

In Dumaguete, a mid-range month runs about $1,028 (₱64,630), typical internet speeds are around 15 Mbps and there is some violent crime city-wide.

Compare Dumaguete with another cityFind places like Dumaguete

Ratings

Scores run from 1 to 10 and compare each place with every other destination on Nomadr. Higher is always better. Cost is shown as a level, from Very Low to Very High.

Cost (day-to-day)Very Low

Cheaper day to day than about 85% of cities

Internet6.8/10

Faster internet than about 70% of cities

Visas7/10

Easier visas than about 75% of cities

Coworking4.4/10

Weaker coworking than about 65% of cities

English8/10

More English-friendly than about 70% of cities

Walkability7.7/10

Easier to get around than about 75% of cities

Gyms & Wellness4.3/10

Fewer wellness options than about 65% of cities

Getting There7.9/10

Easier to reach than about 75% of cities

Scores are built from researched data, with sources cited on the categories we have them for — open any category below to see them.

Everything we know

33 categories for Dumaguete, grouped for quick scanning — coverage varies from city to city. Open any row for the full detail and any cited sources.

Money

Work

Life

Outdoor activities

  • Surfing: not available here. Nearest on Nomadr: Siargao (~300 km) · El Nido (~500 km)

Practical

The Honest Downsides

The honest downsides

What we'd want to know before moving here.

Data last updated September 2026 · Verify anything important.

Other cities in Southeast Asia

  • Moalboal, PhilippinesFamous for its sardine run, with real dedicated scuba and freediving infrastructure.
  • Cebu City, PhilippinesSecond-tier Philippine hub with real, growing coworking density
  • Siargao, PhilippinesWorld-famous Cloud 9 surf break with a genuinely deep nomad, dive, freediving, and kite scene.
  • Semporna, MalaysiaReal mainland base town for Sipadan/Mabul diving — Sipadan itself is day-trip-only, permit-limited.
  • Raja Ampat, IndonesiaThe world's most-cited top dive destination — genuinely remote, liveaboard-heavy, and expensive.
  • Mui Ne, VietnamVietnam's classic kite-surfing town, with a genuine seasonal surf scene alongside it.