Davao City vs Penang (George Town)
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Davao City
Penang (George Town)
Total Budget
$900/mo
$850/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$350/mo
$350/mo
Coworking
$100/mo
$75/mo ✓
Meal Out
$3
$3
Coffee
$2 ✓
$3
Penang (George Town) is $50/mo cheaper (6% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇵🇭 Davao City
📶 Internet95 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+8
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London3h
🇩🇪 Berlin4h
🇲🇾 Penang (George Town)
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+7
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London4h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Davao City
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days273/year
Penang (George Town)
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days284/year
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
26°27°
Apr
27°28°
Jul
27°28°
Oct
27°27°
Davao CityPenang (George Town)
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇵🇭Davao City
🇲🇾Penang (George Town)
💰
Monthly Budget
$900
$850
📶
Internet Speed
95 Mbps
100 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
4.4/5
Winner4/5
⭐
Nomad Score
3.9/10
4/10
🍽️
Food Scene
7/10
10/10
Winner🎉
Nightlife
5/10
5/10
🚶
Walkability
6/10
7/10
👥
Community
medium
medium
1
Davao City wins
vs
1
Penang (George Town) wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Either works
Similar costs - choose based on other factors
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
Either works
Similar social opportunities
🛡️Safety-First
Davao City
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Penang (George Town)
Better food scene with incredible variety
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🇵🇭Davao City
Pros
- +Extremely affordable cost of living
- +Fastest internet in the Philippines
- +One of the safest cities in Southeast Asia
- +Friendly English-speaking locals
Cons
- −Hot and humid year-round
- −Limited nightlife with alcohol restrictions
- −Fewer Western restaurants and amenities
- −Traffic congestion during rush hours
🇲🇾Penang (George Town)
Pros
- +Legendary street food scene - Asia's food capital with Char Kway Teow laksa and more
- +Extremely affordable - comfortable living under $850/month
- +UNESCO World Heritage Site - stunning colonial architecture and temples
- +High English proficiency - easy communication everywhere
Cons
- −Hot and humid year-round - 24-32°C with high humidity
- −WiFi historically slower than other destinations - improving with fiber rollout
- −Limited coworking scene compared to KL or Bali
- −Monsoon season September-November brings heavy rain