Cost of Living in Davao

I'm an American and have lived in or near Davao for 12 years now. Family of four, upper middle class lifestyle (not in city center) runs about $1750/month including things like private schools. We own our house so don't pay rent but you can easily find a decent rental house for between $100 & $200 a month in most housing tracks not in the downtown area. Sorry, no downtown expenses experience. I've always felt safe here, even when walking alone at night, find the greatest majority of people to be friendly and the majority of people in the city speak at least basic English. Davao itself is the 8th largest city in the world in land mass so it's population density is low except in the city center. Locals might think there is a lot of traffic but trust me, It's about as good as any city in the world.

I may be wrong but I believe that to have a permanent visa, you either need to be married to a Filipino citizen (my wife is Filipina) or put a $20,000 refundable deposit in a bank to get a retirement visa. That deposit will need to stay as long as you are in the Philippines (Check with immigration for details). Foreigners can never become Filipino citizens and cannot be the title bearer for real estate. (Community property country so it's really more of a technicality).

For me, it's the perfect place to retire (laid back atmosphere, if you are somebody that is in a hurry to do everything, this isn't likely the place for you) and the perfect place to raise children. Moving here was the best decision of my life.

Tony C. I am on an Australian aged pension. An accountant told me that I can only get the pension for twelve weeks when abroad. Why do you get it?.

#Robert... I live here quite comfortably on my Australian Pension which is approximately $1,300 US. This does not include rent as I bought a house here and so do not need to pay rent. In the nine months that I looked around to buy our house I paid $400 US/month rent and still managed a comfortable life style. Generally you would require a months rent deposit and a month in advance although they say here it is the first month and the last months rent.

monthly estimate expenses of small business and large business? particularly utilities

@Ian Rees lol. then you aren't living in city centre that's why it's cheap in your area. for those living in city centre, electricity costs around 3.5k-4k and DECENT apartments aren't priced as low as 2k. decent ones go for 6k outside of city centre+

#Alex It is a nice place if you like near oceans and land trips. Food is a bit cheaper but housing it depends of what type of house you gonna need 20K$ is a good start to live, you can live a comfortable life with it. For me, it depends how you will utilize that amount. Hope this will help

I lived near Davao City and I visit the nearby city every now and then.

The criminal rate is low unlike what other people tell here. Of course you will get into trouble if you flash your money in public. Everyone should obviously follow the city ordinances too.

As a city in Mindanao, Davao city is subjected to Martial Law. Contrary to the news in the national tv, the residents do not feel harassed. The people even want to augment the duration of Martial Law. Haha.

The prices of commodities and services are astoundingly lower than other cities in Mindanao or in the Philippines. There is also an organic farming and horticulture revolution that is happening.

I'd not say that Davao City is the safest place in the whole world, but it is the most livable city here in the Philippines.

Despite the issues of martial law and news surrounding Davao City, is this place still safe?

I'm fairly certain that places like Syria or Yemen never get qualified as safe in speech for a lot of different reason. Davao, on the other hand, has quite a few draws, especially for a single guy. Does anyone know?

I am attached to Davao since 2001(for serious reason), It WAS a nice place to be, not anymore thanks to idiots foreigners( lonely loosers and perverts) and technology(smartphones,internet,watsapp,skype). Now is May 2017 Davao is packed with foreigners, indians are everywhere, traffic is insane, big malls, filipinos dont greet anymore as it was in 2014 even, Toyotas,BMW,Mercedes you name it, all kind of cars(and not cheap ones) filipinos are changing to the worst, loosing their hospitable spirit because money taking over their minds, and all that agressive movies from the sick doomed west that they show on TV get translated to bisaya or tagalog language makes filipinos like westerners( agressive, narrow minded, fake creatures). Hope karaoke will save filipino heart.
Big companies are moved in, condos are built left and right, i just know around 10 ongoing big projects that going on right now as i type this, prices hmmmm, 100 square meters 3 bedroom 17million pesos(more than 300.000$), this place is doomed to distruction( loosing its Davao spirit, peaceful, laid back, uncrowded town).
Plus Abusayaf became very active, MNLF, NPA also do attacks, there is other clashes that happen basically every day and TV did not report.
For me Davao was an escape from the civilization( human madness), peaceful and friendly, not anymore.
Davao is a large city, with everything that comes with it, i am not interested in this place no more, time to find the other place where i cant be reached by western sick, self distructing civilization.

As a foreigner from abroad, on my first 4 months in DavaoCity,took me U$1000 due to I dont know where cheap market/shops to go( that means i buy all my stuff & food & veggies at the expensive mall)..DEPENDS HOW PICKY YOU ARE..

Now that I know where the public market are, Me & my girlfriend now able to live at U$750 to U$900 at moderate quality of life.
I GUESS MY GF DO GREAT JOB IN ECONOMICS...Been 3 years living in Davao now !

I have a love in Davao but having a hard time getting there to be with her if anyone has a heart and willing to help please contact me

A lot of this prices is for the lokal people. Most of the markets, not the big malls, got forigner-price. A lowprice ciggaretts is 35-40peso normally. On the streetmarket its up to 100peso.
The potatoes are around 65peso for a half kilo at the mall with fixed price.
And if you dont need to live at the beautystreet with the rich people then you can rent a house with 3 room and a mini garden for 6-8000 peso + electricity + water. Its rare that you find a fridge or cocking things. You have to buy that. Electricity in a 3 room house using a fridge, stove and aircon is around 2500 peso a bad month. It can easily get higher if you use the aircon 24 hour. The water is around 130-150 peso per month. The fact that you got to pay two months rent in advance is just to live with. Thats the way it is everywhere here. The last two months is "free". BUT, you need to check that the electricity and water is payed before you rent. If not the answer use to be from the owner that YOU pay that and that you cut it from the rent next time. Remember that this is a poor country and most of the people see europians and americans as rich, even if your not. If you are able to get here for vacation or work you ARE rich no matter what you tell them.
If you are a smoker. Here in Dawao its not legal to smoke in public. You can smoke at home, in your house or garden, in your car or at special areas at the malls. If the police get you its 500 peso the first time. DO NOT offer them cash when they stop you. That will maybe put you behind bars. You pay at the office.
And if you are stupid inuff to have or use drugs here...DO NOT RUN, you will get killed of the police, legaly. Its prison for a lot of years for a little weed. Think first, then act.
If you want to get out to dance and get drunk, bring a friend. Then take a taxi home, dont walk drunk and alone at night. And if you find a woman or a man to have sex with USE a condom and NEVER EVER get a prostitute. They are often full of shit that you dont want. Aids and Hiv is very, very common here, and to have sex with a prostitute without protection is no problem, just pay extra....

Keep your money in the front pockets. Leave the back-pockets empty. Dont count your money in public.
And ladys,,,NO BIG BAGS on your shoulder. Sooner or later it will have a visitor.
This is a beautiful country with friendly people. Its still a poor country so nothing is free. If you have to pay 20 peso more than the lokal before you in the lokal small store, smile, pay and leave. You are that rich. 20 peso is a half kilo rise and it will feed a family one day or more. 20 peso is 43 american cent or 0,38euro.
Come here, enjoy, buy your chinese original copied stuff, eat the lokal lovely food, swim and dive, enjoy life and please bee careful in the sun. The sun is strong and will burn your skin.
Welcome to the paradise.

I am living in Los Angeles Califorinia USA.for over 40 years I have been looking at women profiles on Philipinokisses.com for over a year now, my intensions are settling down with a Philipina as my bride moving back to my country of birth England. I have travelled all over the world but never have I seen such beautiful women as I have seen in the Philippines, it is so difficult to make ones mind up who to choose as his future soul mate for life.( its like a kid in a candy store). I have FOUND her OMG what a beauty and may I add she is 54 years young really she looks no older than a day over 40. Now I am praying that when I get in contact with her she will like what she see in my photo profile and what I am all about.Pray for me every one

Davao is a nice city but totally overrated as regards safety and development. Bombings with casualties are quite frequent (data from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_the_Philippines)

4 March 2003: 21 dead 146+ injured
In the so-called Davao International Airport bombing a homemade bomb exploded at the waiting shed fronting the Davao International Airport at around 5:25 p.m, killing at least 21 and wounding at least 146.

2 April 2003: 17 dead 70+ injured
At least 17 people were killed when a bomb exploded near a barbecue stand in a row of food stalls by the Sasa wharf ferry terminal in Davao City.

14 February 2005: 1 dead, 5 injured
A 12-year-old boy died when a bomb exploded at a bus terminal in Davao City, Davao, injuring five others.

15 March 2010: 1 dead 2 injured
A soldier dies after a military truck was bombed by suspected New People's Army guerrillas in Davao City. A truck carrying members of the Philippine Army was bombed while cruising along a road in the Paquibato district around 14:50. Two soldiers were also hurt and evacuated to Davao Medical Center.

17 September 2013: 0 dead, 5 injured
The mall was subjected to one of the two terrorist bombings that occurred in 17 September 2013,[191] with their both abandoning shopping malls attacked at Gaisano Mall of Davao firstly, and lastly would be SM City Davao during their both blast sites

Hello all I am retired and get a little pension about 750 euro per month , I am living in thailand (khon kaen) but I am thinking move to philipines cause ...( here nobody can speak english ) You think my pension is enough for live in davao ? I am from spain and want a quiet and simple life only . Thanks for read .

I am a Davaoeña. I work during the night shift and there is no worry about taking a jeepney or taxi ride from my rented house to the office. I feel safe in Davao City.

I would like to hear from Indian expats in the Phillipines as I'm Indian and will be moving there soon. Please let me know your experiences (good and bad).

Living 3 months on and 9 months off in Davao now for the last 8 years.
As a family with 2 children living in a western style apartment building that we own, some of the expenses we have are:
1) Davao Light (electricity) PHP5,000/month
2) Condo fees PHP 2,700/month
3) Average of real estate taxes PHP 5,000/year
4) PLDT ADSL 8Mbps: 3,800/month
5) Paulaner in SM: PHP120/bottle, restaurant PHP140-180/bottle
6) Hoegaarden in SM: PHP100/bottle
7) 100Gr Jamon Serano (from Deli Swish): +- PHP350/100Gram
8) Weekly groceries at least PHP8,000
I estimate to live there full time, we'd need US$3,000/month to have a good living western style. That would be excluding private schooling for the kids.

Like other have said, it can be done on way less if you accept less quality.

Thank you. I am intending to come and leave there. I have a girl friend MELANIE who is 26yrs old, has a daughter less than one yr old. She does direct selling. She can call me on ph. 675 79877521 or email on ovirijames@gmaiil.com. Thank you. JAMES OVIRI