comparison intelligence
Davao vs Mataram / Lombok
These cities are tied on overall score, while Mataram / Lombok has the lower monthly estimate.
Too close to call
near identical$50/mo gap0.0 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
Mataram / Lombok
6.8/10
$1,250/month · Indonesia
MAYBEpros
- Gateway to Gili Islands, Rinjani, and Kuta Lombok beaches
- Very affordable living costs
- Less crowded and cheaper than Bali
cons
- City itself is not attractive — functional rather than charming
- Limited coworking and nomad infrastructure
- Internet is unreliable
cost breakdown
Where the money goes
Rent$575$545
Food$260$250
Transport$90$90
Coworking$130$125
Entertainment$155$150
Utilities$90$90
money / equivalent lifestyle
What your money buys
To keep roughly the same spending flexibility you get from $1,500 in Mataram / Lombok, you would need about $1,550 in Davao.
Based on relative monthly cost estimates in this guide.With $1,500/month
DavaoLeaves about $200Estimated cost: $1,300
Mataram / LombokLeaves about $250Estimated cost: $1,250
score breakdown
Category-by-category
Money
Cost of living4.54.6Mataram / Lombok
Remote work
Internet3.52.0Davao
Daily life
Food3.63.5Davao
Walkability3.43.4tied
Comfort & safety
Healthcare3.42.9Davao
Safety3.73.5Davao
Weather3.83.9Mataram / Lombok
Lifestyle
English friendly4.23.1Davao
Nightlife3.32.5Davao
what changes if you move?
Relocation impact
Moving from Davao to Mataram / Lombok gives you no major measurable upgrade and saves about $50 per month, but trades off remote-work reliability and English usability.
Monthly spending-$50
Annual spending-$600
Overall scoreAbout the same
InternetDramatically worse (-1.5)
English friendlySignificantly worse (-1.1)
HealthcareWorse (-0.5)
NightlifeWorse (-0.8)
SafetySlightly worse (-0.2)
No clear upgrade
Internet
3.5 → 2.0 · -1.5
Moving from Mataram / Lombok to Davao gives you remote-work reliability, English usability and social energy for about $50 more per month, but trades off few obvious category sacrifices.
Monthly spending+$50
Annual spending+$600
Overall scoreAbout the same
InternetDramatically better (+1.5)
English friendlySignificantly better (+1.1)
HealthcareBetter (+0.5)
NightlifeBetter (+0.8)
SafetySlightly better (+0.2)
Internet
2.0 → 3.5 · +1.5
No clear downgrade
Choose Davao if...
- You need a stronger remote-work connection signal.
- You prefer easier day-to-day English usability.
- Healthcare access matters for a longer stay.
- You care enough about remote-work reliability to accept weaker monthly affordability.
Choose Mataram / Lombok if...
- You want to keep monthly spending below roughly $1,500.
- You want stronger budget room, saving about $50 per month versus Davao.
- You are comfortable trading remote-work reliability for substantially better affordability.
final verdict
So, which one makes more sense?
The overall score is effectively tied, while Mataram / Lombok has the clearer budget advantage. Davao is measurably stronger on remote-work reliability.