Cost of Living Comparison Between Cazin and Lapu-Lapu Cost of Living Comparison Between Cazin and Lapu-Lapu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $850 in Cazin versus $842 in Lapu-Lapu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,275 in Cazin versus $1,328 in Lapu-Lapu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,699 in Cazin versus $1,813 in Lapu-Lapu.

Living in Cazin is roughly 1% more expensive than in Lapu-Lapu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cazin 36% lower, Lapu-Lapu 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 BAM 8.29

$4.53 ₱279

7.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.99 BAM 40.98

$17.50 ₱1,077

37.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 BAM 15.40

$4.45 ₱274

102.47%

Cappuccino

$1.15 BAM 1.97

$2.57 ₱158

-55.25%

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

$1.84 BAM 3.15

$0.79 ₱48.73

132.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 BAM 2.14

$0.45 ₱27.73

177.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 BAM 2.82

$1.53 ₱94.4

7.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.08

$2.16 ₱133

10.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$1.64 ₱101

-26.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 BAM 1.92

$1.38 ₱84.8

-18.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.48

$1.03 ₱63.5

98.06%

Eggs

$2.22 BAM 3.79

$2.33 ₱143

-4.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 BAM 17.97

$12.13 ₱747

-13.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 BAM 12.08

$5.32 ₱328

32.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 BAM 22.92

$7.81 ₱481

71.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 BAM 2.67

$3.24 ₱200

-51.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 BAM 3.08

$1.38 ₱84.8

30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 BAM 2.87

$2.47 ₱152

-31.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 BAM 2.88

$2.19 ₱135

-23.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 BAM 1.84

$2.30 ₱142

-53.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.05

$1.83 ₱112

-34.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.08

$0.94 ₱57.7

29.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BAM 1.27

$0.84 ₱51.6

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 BAM 6.15

$1.79 ₱110

101.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 BAM 13.80

$3.43 ₱211

135.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BAM 1.86

$1.08 ₱66.4

0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 BAM 1.99

$2.27 ₱140

-48.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 BAM 2.96

$0.28 ₱17.41

517.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.40 BAM 62.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 BAM 2.56

$0.86 ₱53.2

74.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 BAM 1.42

$0.23 ₱14.04

260.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 BAM 15.14

$2.65 ₱163

234.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BAM 2.58

$1.11 ₱68.3

36.04%

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

$24.0K BAM 41.0K

$24.9K ₱1.5M

-3.81%

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

$26.3K BAM 45.0K

$32.5K ₱2.0M

-19.10%

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

$118 BAM 202

$95.8 ₱5,899

23.34%

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

$18.66 BAM 31.88

$26.78 ₱1,649

-30.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.01 BAM 51.3

$30.20 ₱1,859

-0.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.27 BAM 43.17

$45.06 ₱2,774

-43.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 BAM 18.54

$1.79 ₱110

506.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 BAM 7.33

$6.04 ₱372

-28.97%

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

$258 BAM 441

$124 ₱7,629

108.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,439 BAM 5,875

$1,779 ₱109.6K

93.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.94 BAM 71.7

$47.16 ₱2,903

-11.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.99 BAM 51.2

$22.64 ₱1,394

32.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.67 BAM 84.9

$75.4 ₱4,639

-34.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 BAM 138

$55.8 ₱3,436

44.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 BAM 407

$335 ₱20.6K

-28.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 BAM 307

$239 ₱14.7K

-24.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 BAM 641

$825 ₱50.8K

-54.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 BAM 481

$508 ₱31.3K

-44.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 BAM 2,237

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,159 BAM 1,981

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 BAM 1,217

$235 ₱14.5K

202.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

-52.50%

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

Last update for Cazin: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lapu-Lapu: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $238 in Cazin and $335 in Lapu-Lapu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cazin pays 202% 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: $24.00 in Cazin vs $17.00 in Lapu-Lapu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $216 per month, with Lapu-Lapu 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

Cazin vs Lapu-Lapu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cazin and Lapu-Lapu differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($850 vs $842 including rent). Lapu-Lapu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 202% higher in Cazin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $238 in Cazin versus $335 in Lapu-Lapu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Cazin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $850 per month in Cazin versus $842 in Lapu-Lapu – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Lapu-Lapu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Cazin and Lapu-Lapu 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 Lapu-Lapu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Cazin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.