Cost of living comparisons are often useless because they are based on averages that do not reflect how people actually live. Here are real numbers for Davao City in 2026, based on our team's daily presence there.
Accommodation
A good mid-range apartment — modern, furnished, with air conditioning, reliable internet, 24-hour security, and access to a pool and gym — runs PHP 20,000–35,000 per month. That is approximately €330–580.
For context: this is a one- or two-bedroom unit in a development like One Oasis Davao (Ecoland) or 8 Spatial (Maa). These are not budget properties. They are well-appointed, gated residences that work for people who are used to a reasonable standard of living.
Entry-level furnished apartments — clean, functional, basic — start at PHP 12,000–18,000 (€200–300).
Luxury — Aeon Towers, Dusit Thani Residences — runs PHP 45,000–120,000 (€750–2,000).
Food and dining
This is where the numbers become genuinely surprising for someone coming from Europe.
A meal at a good local restaurant: PHP 200–400 (€3–7). A meal at a mid-range international restaurant: PHP 500–1,000 (€8–17). Weekly groceries for one person (mix of local and imported): PHP 2,000–4,000 (€33–67). Fresh fruit at the market (and the fruit in Davao is extraordinary): PHP 50–200 per kilo depending on variety.
You can eat extremely well — interesting food, good quality, varied — for €300–500 per month.
Utilities
Electricity: PHP 2,000–5,000 per month (€33–83) depending on air conditioning use. This is the variable that catches people out — AC runs hot-climate electricity bills up significantly if used constantly.
Water: PHP 300–600 (€5–10).
Internet: PHP 1,500–3,000 (€25–50) for a decent fibre connection. PLDT and Globe both have reasonable coverage in the major Davao residential areas.
Transport
A motorcycle-taxi (Grab or local) across Davao: PHP 50–100 (€1–2). A car hire with driver for a half-day: PHP 1,500–2,500 (€25–42). A monthly car rental if you want your own vehicle: PHP 20,000–35,000 (€330–580).
Most clients do not own a car in Davao initially. Grab is reliable and cheap.
Healthcare
Davao City has good private hospitals — Davao Doctors Hospital and San Pedro Hospital are the main options for expats. A consultation with a specialist: PHP 800–2,000 (€13–33). International health insurance for someone in their 40s: €100–300 per month depending on coverage and deductible.
The total picture
A comfortable, international standard of living in Davao City — good apartment, eating out several times a week, occasional weekend travel, decent healthcare — runs €1,500–2,500 per month.
A generous, high-standard lifestyle — luxury apartment, regular restaurant dining, domestic help, full healthcare coverage — runs €3,000–4,000.
The equivalent lifestyles in London, Dublin, Sydney, or Zurich would cost three to five times more.
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