Cost of Living Comparison Between Cagayan de Oro City and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Cagayan de Oro City and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $763 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $854 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,111 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $1,318 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,460 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $1,782 in Cebu.

Living in Cagayan de Oro City costs roughly 11% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cagayan de Oro City 43% lower, Cebu 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 ₱227

$4.40 ₱269

-15.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.25 ₱872

$23.98 ₱1,467

-40.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 ₱203

$4.54 ₱278

-27.09%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱154

$2.53 ₱155

-0.40%

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

$1.02 ₱62.1

$0.85 ₱52.2

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₱21.58

$0.45 ₱27.63

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₱87.9

$1.52 ₱92.9

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₱148

$2.19 ₱134

10.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₱104

$2.30 ₱141

-26.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₱56.0

$1.57 ₱96.0

-42.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱55.6

$1.15 ₱70.6

-20.87%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱145

$2.36 ₱144

0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.17 ₱378

$13.03 ₱797

-52.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 ₱225

$5.10 ₱312

-28.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.45 ₱395

$7.95 ₱486

-18.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 ₱138

$3.49 ₱213

-35.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ₱69.7

$1.51 ₱92.1

-24.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ₱141

$3.29 ₱201

-30.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 ₱78.3

$2.19 ₱134

-41.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 ₱135

$2.61 ₱160

-15.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 ₱176

$2.45 ₱150

17.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.1

$0.92 ₱56.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₱28.54

$0.83 ₱51.0

-43.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 ₱145

$3.27 ₱200

-27.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.14 ₱253

$6.74 ₱412

-38.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱82.6

$1.21 ₱74.1

11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₱94.6

$2.27 ₱139

-31.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₱24.59

$0.28 ₱17.23

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.48 ₱519

$15.14 ₱926

-43.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱45.53

$0.87 ₱53.2

-14.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.69

$0.25 ₱15.37

-4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱133

$2.61 ₱160

-16.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.2

$1.14 ₱69.7

0.88%

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

$20.3K ₱1.2M

$29.6K ₱1.8M

-31.45%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-30.11%

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

$103 ₱6,282

$95.2 ₱5,822

7.89%

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

$40.09 ₱2,453

$33.67 ₱2,060

19.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.57 ₱2,054

$29.79 ₱1,823

12.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.83 ₱1,336

$32.90 ₱2,013

-33.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.35 ₱205

$8.16 ₱499

-58.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.61 ₱282

$5.79 ₱354

-20.38%

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

$187 ₱11.4K

$232 ₱14.2K

-19.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,435 ₱149.0K

$3,860 ₱236.1K

-36.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.49 ₱2,171

$52.1 ₱3,188

-31.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.31 ₱876

$22.82 ₱1,396

-37.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.9 ₱3,542

$76.8 ₱4,698

-24.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.76 ₱2,616

$54.3 ₱3,324

-21.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 ₱21.9K

$497 ₱30.4K

-27.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 ₱13.0K

$214 ₱13.1K

-0.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₱35.8K

$797 ₱48.8K

-26.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 ₱22.8K

$385 ₱23.6K

-3.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,653 ₱101.2K

$2,968 ₱181.6K

-44.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,005 ₱61.5K

$1,963 ₱120.1K

-48.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$316 ₱19.3K

$383 ₱23.4K

-17.50%

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 Cagayan de Oro City: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cebu: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $358 in Cagayan de Oro City and $497 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 21% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Cagayan de Oro City vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $242 per month, with Cagayan de Oro City cheaper across the board.

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

Cagayan de Oro City vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cagayan de Oro City and Cebu differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($763 vs $854 including rent). Cagayan de Oro City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Cebu earns 21% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $358 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $497 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $24.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $763 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $854 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cagayan de Oro City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Cagayan de Oro City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cagayan de Oro City and Cebu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cagayan de Oro City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.