Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bacolod Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bacolod

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $873 per month in Cebu vs $736 in Bacolod, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,326 per month in Cebu vs $1,190 in Bacolod, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,778 per month in Cebu vs $1,645 in Bacolod, rent included.

Cebu costs about 19% more than Bacolod, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cebu and Bacolod are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 35% lower, Bacolod 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$2.24 ₱138

93.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,490

$17.17 ₱1,060

40.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.97 ₱245

9.82%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.96 ₱183

-13.18%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$1.64 ₱101

-48.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.38

$1.21 ₱74.9

-64.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.6

$1.28 ₱78.8

19.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$1.94 ₱119

8.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.73 ₱107

27.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.7

$1.25 ₱76.8

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.8

$0.91 ₱55.9

21.98%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$1.77 ₱109

31.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱804

$9.64 ₱595

35.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$7.62 ₱470

-29.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱463

$7.76 ₱479

-3.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$3.85 ₱238

-7.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.5

$2.73 ₱168

-46.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$2.58 ₱159

31.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$0.65 ₱39.85

235.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.32 ₱143

11.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.27 ₱140

9.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.7

$1.10 ₱67.9

-16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.99

$1.13 ₱69.5

-30.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$3.05 ₱188

1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.5

$0.96 ₱59.1

26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.99 ₱123

16.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.42

$0.18 ₱10.86

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

$10.62 ₱655

41.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.78 ₱48.43

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.46

$0.24 ₱14.79

4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.17 ₱134

23.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.24 ₱76.5

-12.10%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$25.3K ₱1.6M

18.92%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$30.6K ₱1.9M

-11.80%

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

$95.4 ₱5,884

$103 ₱6,364

-7.54%

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

$33.83 ₱2,088

$35.67 ₱2,201

-5.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,838

$27.89 ₱1,721

6.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,031

$26.22 ₱1,618

25.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$2.58 ₱159

226.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$4.86 ₱300

20.16%

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

$233 ₱14.4K

$35.27 ₱2,176

559.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.3K

$4,330 ₱267.2K

-10.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,299

$55.3 ₱3,412

-3.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,404

$26.06 ₱1,608

-12.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,732

$50.1 ₱3,090

53.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,362

$43.72 ₱2,698

24.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$227 ₱14.0K

127.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$148 ₱9,161

40.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.7K

$495 ₱30.5K

62.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$430 ₱26.5K

-7.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$207 ₱12.8K

76.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

19.94%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bacolod: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Cebu versus $227 in Bacolod. 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 76% 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 $24.00 in Cebu versus $17.00 in Bacolod. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $218 – making Bacolod 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

Cebu vs Bacolod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $873 in Cebu, $736 in Bacolod – roughly 19% apart. Cebu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,309 per month in Cebu and $1,104 in Bacolod. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacolod, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Bacolod. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $233 per month in Cebu and $35.27 in Bacolod. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bacolod, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Cebu at $873. In Bacolod it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cebu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cebu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $736 in Bacolod to $873 in Cebu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Bacolod. 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.