Cost of Living Comparison Between Calapan City and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Calapan City and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $783 per month in Calapan City vs $873 in Cebu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,227 per month in Calapan City vs $1,326 in Cebu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,672 per month in Calapan City vs $1,778 in Cebu, rent included.

Calapan City is about 10% cheaper than Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calapan City and Cebu are more affordable than the global median – Calapan City 42% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 ₱223

$4.33 ₱267

-16.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.77 ₱1,096

$24.14 ₱1,489

-26.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.27 ₱202

$4.36 ₱269

-25.00%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ₱152

$2.57 ₱159

-4.28%

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

$0.79 ₱48.50

$0.84 ₱52.1

-5.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.56

$0.43 ₱26.36

-13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₱80.9

$1.53 ₱94.5

-14.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₱128

$2.11 ₱130

-1.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱118

$2.21 ₱137

-13.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₱78.0

$1.50 ₱92.6

-15.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.4

$1.11 ₱68.7

-2.70%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱123

$2.33 ₱144

-14.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 ₱488

$13.03 ₱803

-39.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.17 ₱257

$5.35 ₱330

-22.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 ₱473

$7.50 ₱462

2.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ₱182

$3.57 ₱220

-17.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱93.9

$1.45 ₱89.4

4.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$3.39 ₱209

-20.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ₱96.1

$2.18 ₱134

-28.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱142

$2.59 ₱160

-11.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₱156

$2.48 ₱153

2.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱66.2

$0.92 ₱56.6

16.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.47

$0.79 ₱48.95

-2.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ₱176

$3.11 ₱192

-8.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 ₱492

$6.52 ₱402

22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.5

$1.21 ₱74.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₱120

$2.32 ₱143

-15.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.32

$0.28 ₱17.41

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.02 ₱864

$15.00 ₱925

-6.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱51.0

$0.84 ₱51.6

-1.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.52

$0.25 ₱15.45

-12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱134

$2.69 ₱166

-19.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.1

$1.09 ₱67.1

4.59%

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

$26.7K ₱1.6M

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-11.20%

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

$20.1K ₱1.2M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-25.71%

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

$113 ₱6,977

$95.4 ₱5,880

18.65%

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

$32.18 ₱1,984

$33.83 ₱2,086

-4.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.67 ₱1,706

$29.78 ₱1,836

-7.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.31 ₱2,116

$32.91 ₱2,029

4.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.46 ₱275

$8.43 ₱520

-47.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ₱367

$5.84 ₱360

2.05%

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

$150 ₱9,262

$233 ₱14.3K

-35.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,264 ₱262.9K

$3,894 ₱240.1K

9.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.29 ₱2,854

$53.5 ₱3,297

-13.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.95 ₱1,662

$22.75 ₱1,403

18.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 ₱4,626

$76.7 ₱4,729

-2.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 ₱3,289

$54.5 ₱3,359

-2.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₱16.3K

$515 ₱31.8K

-48.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$209 ₱12.9K

-14.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 ₱36.9K

$805 ₱49.6K

-25.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱24.1K

$397 ₱24.5K

-1.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₱153.6K

$2,955 ₱182.2K

-15.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$960 ₱59.2K

$1,923 ₱118.6K

-50.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$119 ₱7,309

$364 ₱22.5K

-67.46%

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 Calapan City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in Calapan City 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 207% 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 $18.00 in Calapan City versus $24.00 in Cebu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $240 – making Calapan City 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

Calapan City vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cebu is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,175 per month in Calapan City 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 Calapan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Calapan City and $24.00 in Cebu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $783 in Calapan City and $873 in Cebu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calapan City, where all-in costs run around $783, than in Cebu at $873. In Calapan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cebu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calapan City – 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 Calapan City. 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.