Dumaguete vs El Nido (Palawan)
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Dumaguete edges it, 53 to 53, winning 3 of the 9 factors. Dumaguete is stronger on nothing outright; El Nido (Palawan) on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Quiet university city with a long-standing expat scene
Full Dumaguete profile →Where to stay in Dumaguete →Limestone-lagoon gateway to Palawan's Bacuit Bay
Full El Nido (Palawan) profile →Where to stay in El Nido (Palawan) →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Dumaguete | El Nido (Palawan) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 55 | 55 |
| Safety | 47 | 47 |
| Healthcare | 54 | 54 |
| Internet | 62 ✓ | 59 |
| Visa ease | 58 | 58 |
| Getting there & around | 22 ✓ | 21 |
| Climate | 42 ✓ | 33 |
| Air quality | 82 | 89 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 58 | 58 |
Cost
| Metric | Dumaguete | El Nido (Palawan) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,150 | $1,150 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Dumaguete | El Nido (Palawan) |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 4.31 | 4.31 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 51 | 51 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 69 | 69 |
| Life expectancy | 66.4 yrs | 66.4 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Dumaguete | El Nido (Palawan) |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 23.9 Mbps ✓ | 21.3 Mbps |
| Upload | 10.3 Mbps ✓ | 8.5 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Dumaguete | El Nido (Palawan) |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad visa (DNV) | Digital nomad visa (DNV) |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data |
| Entry, US passport | 30 days | 30 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 30 days | 30 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 30 days | 30 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Dumaguete | El Nido (Palawan) |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 2 | 5 ✓ |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 ✓ | 2 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 ✓ | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Dumaguete | El Nido (Palawan) |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 5 ✓ | 4 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 13 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Dumaguete or El Nido (Palawan)?
- El Nido (Palawan) is cheaper: about $1,150 per month versus $1,150 for one person.
- Is Dumaguete or El Nido (Palawan) safer?
- Dumaguete scores higher on safety (47 vs 47), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Dumaguete or El Nido (Palawan)?
- Dumaguete: a measured median of 23.9 Mbps versus 21.3 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Dumaguete vs Coron
- Dumaguete vs Puerto Princesa
- El Nido (Palawan) vs Coron
- El Nido (Palawan) vs Puerto Princesa
- All comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.