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Boracay vs Dumaguete cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ต๐ญ Boracay
๐ต๐ญ Dumaguete
At a glance
- Where Dumaguete is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (83%โ), Scooter rental (67%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (58%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Dumaguete is easier to travel (2.4 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Boracay 3 vs Dumaguete 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Boracay | Dumaguete | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฑ 300$5.26 | โฑ 150$2.63 | Dumaguete โ50% |
| Street food1 item | โฑ 90$1.58 | โฑ 40$0.7 | Dumaguete โ56% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฑ 700$12.3 | โฑ 450$7.89 | Dumaguete โ36% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฑ 170$2.98 | โฑ 130$2.28 | Dumaguete โ24% |
| Beerone bottle | โฑ 100$1.75 | โฑ 70$1.23 | Dumaguete โ30% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฑ 250$4.39 | โฑ 200$3.51 | Dumaguete โ20% |
| Bottled water | โฑ 30$0.53 | โฑ 20$0.35 | Dumaguete โ33% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฑ 50$0.88 | โฑ 30$0.53 | Dumaguete โ40% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฑ 200$3.51 | โฑ 120$2.11 | Dumaguete โ40% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฑ 120$2.11 | โฑ 50$0.88 | Dumaguete โ58% |
| Transitone ride | โฑ 25$0.44 | โฑ 15$0.26 | Dumaguete โ40% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฑ 1,200$21.1 | โฑ 400$7.02 | Dumaguete โ67% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฑ 3,500$61.4 | โฑ 1,800$31.6 | Dumaguete โ49% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฑ 20,000$351 | โฑ 16,000$281 | Dumaguete โ20% |
| Laundry | โฑ 70$1.23 | โฑ 40$0.7 | Dumaguete โ43% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฑ 300$5.26 | โฑ 200$3.51 | Dumaguete โ33% |
| Haircutcut | โฑ 200$3.51 | โฑ 100$1.75 | Dumaguete โ50% |
| Massage1 hour | โฑ 600$10.5 | โฑ 400$7.02 | Dumaguete โ33% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฑ 900$15.8 | โฑ 1,000$17.5 | Boracay โ10% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฑ 300$5.26 | โฑ 50$0.88 | Dumaguete โ83% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Boracay or Dumaguete?
Dumaguete is 40% cheaper than Boracay. Daily budget $105 vs $57.8; a month $1,626 vs $1,046.
Which is easier to travel, Boracay or Dumaguete?
Dumaguete is easier: Dumaguete 2.4/5 vs Boracay 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Boracay and Dumaguete?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Boracay is about $1,626 and Dumaguete about $1,046 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.