Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacolod and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacolod and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $736 per month in Bacolod vs $873 in Cebu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,190 per month in Bacolod vs $1,326 in Cebu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,645 per month in Bacolod vs $1,778 in Cebu, rent included.

Bacolod is about 16% cheaper than Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bacolod and Cebu are more affordable than the global median – Bacolod 45% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ₱138

$4.33 ₱267

-48.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.17 ₱1,059

$24.14 ₱1,489

-28.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.97 ₱245

$4.36 ₱269

-8.94%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ₱183

$2.57 ₱159

15.18%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₱101

$0.84 ₱52.1

95.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.9

$0.43 ₱26.36

181.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ₱78.8

$1.53 ₱94.5

-16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱119

$2.11 ₱130

-8.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ₱107

$2.21 ₱137

-21.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₱76.8

$1.50 ₱92.6

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱55.8

$1.11 ₱68.7

-18.02%

Eggs

$1.77 ₱109

$2.33 ₱144

-24.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 ₱595

$13.03 ₱803

-26.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ₱470

$5.35 ₱330

42.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 ₱479

$7.50 ₱462

3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 ₱237

$3.57 ₱220

7.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 ₱168

$1.45 ₱89.4

88.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱159

$3.39 ₱209

-23.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₱39.82

$2.18 ₱134

-70.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.59 ₱160

-10.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 ₱140

$2.48 ₱153

-8.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$0.92 ₱56.6

19.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱69.5

$0.79 ₱48.95

43.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 ₱188

$3.11 ₱192

-1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱59.1

$1.21 ₱74.4

-20.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱122

$2.32 ₱143

-14.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₱10.86

$0.28 ₱17.41

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.62 ₱655

$15.00 ₱925

-29.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.40

$0.84 ₱51.6

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.78

$0.25 ₱15.45

-4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱134

$2.69 ₱166

-19.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱76.4

$1.09 ₱67.1

13.76%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.3K ₱1.6M

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-15.91%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.6K ₱1.9M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

13.38%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$103 ₱6,360

$95.4 ₱5,880

8.16%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.67 ₱2,200

$33.83 ₱2,086

5.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.89 ₱1,720

$29.78 ₱1,836

-6.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.22 ₱1,617

$32.91 ₱2,029

-20.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.58 ₱159

$8.43 ₱520

-69.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 ₱299

$5.84 ₱360

-16.78%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$35.27 ₱2,175

$233 ₱14.3K

-84.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,330 ₱267.0K

$3,894 ₱240.1K

11.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 ₱3,410

$53.5 ₱3,297

3.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.06 ₱1,607

$22.75 ₱1,403

14.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 ₱3,088

$76.7 ₱4,729

-34.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.72 ₱2,696

$54.5 ₱3,359

-19.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 ₱14.0K

$515 ₱31.8K

-55.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 ₱9,155

$209 ₱12.9K

-28.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₱30.5K

$805 ₱49.6K

-38.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.5K

$397 ₱24.5K

8.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$207 ₱12.7K

$364 ₱22.5K

-43.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-16.63%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bacolod: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $227 in Bacolod versus $515 in Cebu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 76% higher in Cebu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Bacolod versus $24.00 in Cebu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $240 – making Bacolod the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bacolod vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $736 in Bacolod, $873 in Cebu – roughly 19% apart. Cebu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,104 per month in Bacolod and $1,309 in Cebu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacolod, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Bacolod. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $35.27 per month in Bacolod and $233 in Cebu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bacolod, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Cebu at $873. In Bacolod it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cebu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cebu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $736 in Bacolod to $873 in Cebu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bacolod. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cebu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.