comparison intelligence
Davao vs Iloilo
Iloilo has the stronger overall score, while Iloilo has the lower monthly estimate.
Iloilo wins overall
near identical$100/mo gap0.1 score gap
quick decision
Who wins where?
Davao
6.8/10
$1,300/month · Philippines
MAYBEpros
- Low estimated monthly cost around $1,300
- English is widely usable
- 60 Mbps internet profile for normal work
cons
- Walkability is limited and traffic matters
- Not ideal for fast-internet-dependent work
- Heat, rain, and storm disruption affect routines
Iloilo
6.9/10
$1,200/month · Philippines
MAYBEpros
- Low estimated monthly cost around $1,200
- English is widely usable
- Strong local food culture
cons
- Not ideal for fast-internet-dependent work
- Nightlife is limited
- Tropical heat and storm disruption matter
cost breakdown
Where the money goes
Rent$575$525
Food$260$240
Transport$90$85
Coworking$130$120
Entertainment$155$145
Utilities$90$85
money / equivalent lifestyle
What your money buys
To keep roughly the same spending flexibility you get from $1,500 in Iloilo, you would need about $1,625 in Davao.
Based on relative monthly cost estimates in this guide.With $1,500/month
DavaoLeaves about $200Estimated cost: $1,300
IloiloLeaves about $300Estimated cost: $1,200
score breakdown
Category-by-category
Money
Cost of living4.54.7Iloilo
Remote work
Internet3.53.5tied
Daily life
Food3.64.5Iloilo
Walkability3.43.4tied
Comfort & safety
Healthcare3.43.4tied
Safety3.73.7tied
Weather3.83.8tied
Lifestyle
English friendly4.24.2tied
Nightlife3.33.3tied
what changes if you move?
Relocation impact
Moving from Davao to Iloilo gives you food scene and monthly affordability and saves about $100 per month, but trades off few obvious category sacrifices.
Monthly spending-$100
Annual spending-$1,200
Overall scoreAbout the same
FoodBetter (+0.9)
Cost of livingSlightly better (+0.2)
Food
3.6 → 4.5 · +0.9
No clear downgrade
Moving from Iloilo to Davao gives you no major measurable upgrade for about $100 more per month, but trades off food scene and monthly affordability.
Monthly spending+$100
Annual spending+$1,200
Overall scoreAbout the same
FoodWorse (-0.9)
Cost of livingSlightly worse (-0.2)
No clear upgrade
Food
4.5 → 3.6 · -0.9
Choose Davao if...
- You care enough about the stronger categories to accept weaker food scene.
Choose Iloilo if...
- You want to keep monthly spending below roughly $1,500.
- You want stronger budget room, saving about $100 per month versus Davao.
- You want the stronger overall score without a major monthly cost penalty.
- You want the cleaner value pick: higher score and lower estimated cost.
final verdict
So, which one makes more sense?
Iloilo has the stronger overall score, while Iloilo has the clearer budget advantage. Iloilo is measurably stronger on food scene.