Is Davao a good place to live?

56/100 livability · Philippines
Davao, Philippines scores 56/100 for livability — a mixed pick: cost 43/100, climate 84/100, safety 46/100. Warmest-month high ~27.3°C, coldest-month low ~25.5°C. Main natural-disaster exposure: storms (hurricane/cyclone). Safety 46/100 blends disaster (31) and crime (70).
Davao — average monthly high (°C, WorldClim)
JFMAMJJASOND
Livability pillars (0-100)
43Cost84Climate46Safety
Disaster risk by type (1-5)
5Quake5Flood5Storm1Wildfire3Heat1Drought1Cold4Tsunami

How each score is calculated: CostiAffordability, 0–100. Higher = cheaper. = 100 − (country price level vs US × a city-size premium). Source: World Bank PPP ÷ exchange rate (US = 100). · ClimateiComfort, 0–100, from WorldClim monthly temperatures. Penalises hot summers (above ~24°C), cold winters (below ~6°C) and too-cool summers (below 15°C). Higher = milder. · Safetyi0–100. Higher = safer. Blends 55% natural-disaster safety (8 hazards — earthquake from real USGS records, plus flood, storm, wildfire, heat, drought, cold, tsunami) and 45% crime safety (homicide rate). · LivabilityiOverall score, 0–100 = 0.35 × Cost + 0.30 × Climate + 0.35 × Safety. (hover the i)

How to read the scores — all on a 0–100 scale, higher is better.

What living in Davao actually looks like

On cost, Philippines sits at 57 on the World Bank price level (US=100) — well below US prices — which maps to an affordability score of 43/100. The climate brings warm summers (warmest-month highs around 27.3°C) and mild winters (coldest-month lows near 25.5°C), scoring 84/100 on our comfort index. Personal safety is lower at 46/100 — a blend of natural-disaster exposure (31/100; main risk storms (hurricane/cyclone)) and crime safety (70/100). Weighted together (0.35 cost, 0.30 climate, 0.35 safety) that produces an overall livability of 56/100 — a mixed pick. On balance, Davao suits people who prioritise climate comfort best; weigh it against the disaster profile below before committing.

Natural-disaster risk in Davao

Is Davao at risk of earthquakes?

Earthquake risk in Davao is very high (5/5). USGS records 5640 magnitude-4.5+ earthquakes within 300 km since 1980.

Does Davao flood?

Flood risk in Davao is very high (5/5), based on regional river/coastal flood exposure.

Does Davao get hurricanes or cyclones?

Storm risk in Davao is very high (5/5), reflecting its tropical-cyclone/severe-storm basin.

Is Davao at risk of tsunamis?

Tsunami exposure for Davao is high (4/5), modelled from its ocean/subduction setting and local seismicity.

Does Davao get dangerously hot?

Extreme-heat risk in Davao is moderate (3/5); warmest-month mean high ~27.3°C (WorldClim).

How scored: livability = 0.35·cost + 0.30·climate + 0.35·safety. Climate from WorldClim v2.1 normals; cost from World Bank PPP÷FX (real, open); earthquake from USGS (real); flood/storm/wildfire/drought/tsunami tiers indicative — verify before publish.

FAQ

Is Davao a good place to live?

Davao scores 56/100 for livability — cost 43, climate 84, safety 46.

Is Davao safe?

Safety 46/100 = disaster safety 31 (main risk storms (hurricane/cyclone)) blended with crime safety 70.

What's the climate like in Davao?

Warmest-month highs average ~27.3°C and coldest-month lows ~25.5°C (WorldClim climate normals).

How much does it cost to live in Davao?

Philippines sits at 57/100 on the World Bank price level (US=100) — affordability score 43/100.

See also

All cities in Philippines → Best places to retire in Philippines → Digital nomad guide to Philippines → Natural-disaster risk in Philippines → Safest cities from storms (hurricane/cyclone) → Tropical-climate cities →

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