For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,406 in Andong, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most 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 Andong actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,406 in Andong.
Cebu $918
Andong $1,406
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $2,175 in Andong.
Cebu $1,409
Andong $2,175
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $2,944 in Andong.
Cebu $1,900
Andong $2,944
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 35% less than in Andong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Andong is 4% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Andong
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱194
$5.93₩7,886
-47.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,525
$35.18₩46.8K
-31.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$6.53₩8,678
-39.97%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$3.72₩4,953
-32.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$1.61₩2,146
-1.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.43
$0.59₩778
-10.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$3.55₩4,716
-49.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$4.57₩6,078
-52.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Andong
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$2.28₩3,029
-15.79%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.4
$3.02₩4,014
-54.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.5
$2.30₩3,061
-56.09%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$3.35₩4,453
-39.40%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$15.85₩21.1K
-37.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$7.72₩10.3K
-43.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$11.00₩14.6K
-30.91%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$7.67₩10.2K
-56.98%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.8
$3.32₩4,412
-58.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$7.37₩9,800
-68.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.3
$6.82₩9,073
-78.01%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$3.55₩4,719
-33.52%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$2.36₩3,135
-19.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$2.00₩2,658
-40.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.71
$1.29₩1,714
-51.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$3.27₩4,348
-8.26%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱379
$18.83₩25.0K
-67.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.7
$2.20₩2,926
-44.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$3.38₩4,497
-48.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Andong
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.86
$1.13₩1,507
-77.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.62
$3.04₩4,038
-74.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.53
$0.66₩882
-65.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$12.91₩17.2K
-65.45%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$1.42₩1,883
-7.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$29.3K₩38.9M
-27.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$36.0K₩47.8M
-46.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Andong
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,569
$207₩274.6K
-41.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱882
$42.65₩56.7K
-67.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,734
$20.71₩27.5K
32.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Andong
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,035
$51.6₩68.6K
-37.30%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
$11.83₩15.7K
-43.79%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$10.99₩14.6K
-48.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Andong
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$299₩397.0K
-7.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.5K
$18.1K₩24.1M
-56.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Andong
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,106
$64.9₩86.3K
-24.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,589
$64.1₩85.2K
-60.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,846
$74.2₩98.6K
3.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,601
$98.4₩130.8K
-41.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Andong
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$482₩640.9K
3.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$358₩476.0K
-13.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$1,183₩1.6M
-8.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.7K
$736₩978.0K
-16.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.7K
$7,141₩9.5M
-59.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.7K
$5,385₩7.2M
-64.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Andong
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$1,850₩2.5M
-81.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
4.1
75.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Andong: October 12, 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%
Andong
$358 25.5% ↑ 15.9%$49
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Andong
$411 29.2% ↑ 99.6%$205
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Andong
$270 19.2% ↑ 66.8%$108
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Andong
$136 9.7% ↑ 44.5%$42
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Andong
$147 10.5% ↑ 67%$59
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Andong
$74 5.2% ↑ 68.6%$30
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Andong
$11 * 0.8% ↓ 30.1%$4.7
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Andong
$736 25% ↑ 19.6%$120
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Andong
$947 32.2% ↑ 96.1%$464
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Andong
$313 10.6% ↑ 77.8%$137
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Andong
$302 10.2% ↑ 44.5%$93
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Andong
$465 15.8% ↑ 59.1%$172
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Andong
$159 5.4% ↑ 69.3%$65
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Andong
$24 * 0.8% ↓ 24%$7.6
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 $482 in Andong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Andong pays 435% 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 $35.00 in Andong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $411 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 Andong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cebu or Andong?
Cebu wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Andong. 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 Andong?
On paper, salaries run 435% lower in Andong. 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 Andong?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $482 in Andong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Cebu and in Andong?
Childcare runs $275 in Cebu versus $299 in Andong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Cebu and in Andong?
Dining out is cheaper in Cebu – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $35.00 in Andong. 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 Andong?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,406 in Andong, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Andong. 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 Andong?
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 Andong?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Andong 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 53% less than in Andong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.