For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,739 in Agen, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cebu and in Agen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,739 in Agen.
Cebu $918
Agen $1,739
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $2,553 in Agen.
Cebu $1,409
Agen $2,553
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $3,367 in Agen.
Cebu $1,900
Agen $3,367
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 47% less than in Agen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Agen is 29% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Agen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱195
$11.04€9.81
-72.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,525
$55.4€49.30
-56.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$11.51€10.24
-65.94%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$3.91€3.47
-35.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$2.82€2.51
-43.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.45
$1.44€1.28
-63.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$6.63€5.90
-73.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$4.47€3.98
-51.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Agen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$1.14€1.01
68.42%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.5
$2.01€1.79
-32.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.6
$2.69€2.39
-62.45%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$3.19€2.84
-36.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$13.92€12.38
-29.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$12.40€11.03
-64.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$16.50€14.67
-53.94%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$2.26€2.01
46.02%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.8
$2.18€1.94
-36.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$2.35€2.09
-0.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.3
$4.42€3.93
-66.06%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$2.08€1.85
13.46%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$2.97€2.64
-36.03%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$1.36€1.21
-12.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.73
$0.43€0.39
46.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$13.36€11.88
-77.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱380
$8.76€7.79
-31.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.7
$3.96€3.52
-68.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$4.28€3.81
-59.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Agen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.87
$1.91€1.70
-86.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
$53.0€47.13
-76.15%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.64
$2.20€1.96
-65.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.54
$1.82€1.62
-87.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$37.91€33.72
-88.24%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$1.87€1.66
-29.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$32.4K€28.8K
-34.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$34.6K€30.8K
-44.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Agen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,573
$252€224
-52.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱882
$15.39€13.69
-9.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,735
$31.17€27.72
-11.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Agen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,036
$31.18€27.73
3.69%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$11.55€10.27
-51.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Agen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$791€703
-65.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.8K
$13.6K€12.1K
-41.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Agen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,107
$120€107
-58.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,590
$44.05€39.18
-42.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,848
$106€94.3
-27.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,603
$145€129
-60.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Agen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$602€536
-17.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.5K
$566€503
-45.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$968€861
11.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.8K
$888€790
-30.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.8K
$3,840€3,415
-24.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.7K
$2,922€2,599
-34.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Agen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$3,155€2,806
-89.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
3.5
105.71%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Agen: October 10, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309 33.6%
Agen
$566 32.5% ↑ 83.2%$257
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Agen
$333 19.1% ↑ 61.6%$127
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Agen
$299 17.2% ↑ 84.8%$137
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Agen
$187 10.7% ↑ 98.8%$93
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Agen
$229 13.2% ↑ 159%$141
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Agen
$54 3.1% ↑ 24.4%$11
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Agen
$72 4.1% ↑ 362%$56
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Agen
$888 26.4% ↑ 44.3%$273
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Agen
$770 22.9% ↑ 59.5%$287
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Agen
$314 9.3% ↑ 78.8%$138
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Agen
$415 12.3% ↑ 98.8%$206
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Agen
$724 21.5% ↑ 148%$432
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Agen
$109 * 3.2% ↑ 15.6%$15
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Agen
$148 4.4% ↑ 367%$116
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $602 in Agen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Agen pays 812% 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 Cebu vs $55.0 in Agen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $333 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Cebu vs Agen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cebu or Agen?
Cebu wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Agen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cebu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Cebu or in Agen?
On paper, salaries run 812% lower in Agen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Cebu compared to Agen?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $602 in Agen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Cebu or in Agen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Agen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Cebu and in Agen?
Dining out is cheaper in Cebu – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $55.0 in Agen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Cebu or in Agen?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,739 in Agen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Agen. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cebu or Agen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cebu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $918 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cebu hard to pass up.
How safe is Cebu compared to Agen?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Agen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Agen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.