Cost of Living Comparison Between Bohol and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Bohol and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $703 per month in Bohol vs $867 in Cebu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,109 per month in Bohol vs $1,349 in Cebu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,515 per month in Bohol vs $1,832 in Cebu, rent included.

Bohol is about 19% cheaper than Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bohol and Cebu are more affordable than the global median – Bohol 48% lower, Cebu 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ₱213

$4.40 ₱267

-20.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.15 ₱2,195

$23.84 ₱1,448

51.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.39 ₱267

$4.50 ₱273

-2.44%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ₱196

$2.65 ₱161

21.51%

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

$0.81 ₱49.28

$0.80 ₱48.45

1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.46

$0.42 ₱25.44

-11.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₱82.2

$1.51 ₱91.8

-10.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱126

$2.15 ₱131

-3.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱116

$2.22 ₱135

-14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱73.4

$1.53 ₱92.9

-20.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱59.6

$1.12 ₱68.3

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.10 ₱127

$2.31 ₱140

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 ₱500

$13.06 ₱793

-36.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 ₱262

$5.38 ₱327

-19.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.95 ₱543

$7.76 ₱471

15.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₱176

$3.63 ₱220

-20.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ₱93.2

$1.50 ₱91.1

2.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 ₱163

$3.42 ₱207

-21.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ₱95.2

$2.17 ₱132

-27.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 ₱127

$2.53 ₱154

-17.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 ₱160

$2.44 ₱148

7.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱67.3

$1.00 ₱60.8

11.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱47.07

$0.79 ₱48.14

-1.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ₱147

$3.26 ₱198

-25.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱383

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₱72.5

$1.15 ₱69.7

3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₱124

$2.30 ₱140

-11.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.20

$0.28 ₱17.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.06 ₱914

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱50.9

$0.83 ₱50.5

1.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.65

$0.23 ₱13.85

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₱128

$2.71 ₱165

-22.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱75.1

$1.09 ₱66.3

13.76%

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

$27.1K ₱1.6M

$30.5K ₱1.9M

-11.21%

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

$20.5K ₱1.2M

$27.1K ₱1.6M

-24.56%

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

$113 ₱6,890

$97.2 ₱5,900

16.77%

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

$32.69 ₱1,985

$34.37 ₱2,087

-4.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.19 ₱1,651

$30.15 ₱1,831

-9.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.79 ₱1,141

$33.14 ₱2,012

-43.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.46 ₱271

$8.25 ₱501

-45.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 ₱340

$5.84 ₱355

-3.94%

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

$150 ₱9,079

$228 ₱13.8K

-34.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,266 ₱259.1K

$3,923 ₱238.2K

8.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.13 ₱2,740

$51.7 ₱3,140

-12.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.87 ₱1,631

$22.99 ₱1,396

16.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,641

$75.2 ₱4,567

1.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.6 ₱3,256

$56.4 ₱3,422

-4.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₱8,560

$511 ₱31.0K

-72.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 ₱6,585

$210 ₱12.7K

-48.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ₱31.8K

$787 ₱47.8K

-33.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 ₱13.9K

$391 ₱23.7K

-41.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,948 ₱179.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$534 ₱32.4K

$1,906 ₱115.7K

-71.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 ₱23.0K

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 Bohol: June 9, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $141 in Bohol versus $511 in Cebu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Bohol versus $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries tell a different story – $194 in Bohol vs $241 in Cebu – so Bohol wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bohol vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cebu is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,054 per month in Bohol and $1,300 in Cebu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $703 in Bohol and $867 in Cebu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $150 per month in Bohol and $228 in Cebu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bohol, where all-in costs run around $703, than in Cebu at $867. In Bohol it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cebu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bohol – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bohol. 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.