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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $936 per month in Cebu vs $639 in Bacolod, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,427 per month in Cebu vs $917 in Bacolod, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,918 per month in Cebu vs $1,195 in Bacolod, rent included.

Cebu costs about 46% more than Bacolod, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cebu and Bacolod are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 32% lower, Bacolod 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱193

$2.43 ₱152

27.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 ₱1,488

$12.99 ₱812

83.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 ₱257

$3.89 ₱243

5.40%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$2.37 ₱148

9.70%

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

$1.55 ₱96.9

$0.69 ₱43.41

124.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱33.46

$0.37 ₱23.29

45.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.39 ₱87.0

24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱137

$1.81 ₱113

20.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱120

$1.60 ₱100

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.1

$1.11 ₱69.4

25.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱60.8

$0.90 ₱56.0

7.78%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱125

$1.60 ₱100

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ₱621

$8.70 ₱544

14.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 ₱274

$6.61 ₱413

-33.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 ₱463

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱217

$3.40 ₱212

1.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱91.7

$2.55 ₱159

-42.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.5

$0.53 ₱33.39

190.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱119

$1.99 ₱124

-4.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₱77.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱41.42

$1.03 ₱64.2

-35.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$2.77 ₱173

8.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ₱380

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.8

$0.86 ₱54.1

52.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.65

$0.17 ₱10.42

47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.78

$0.74 ₱46.15

1.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.41

$0.23 ₱14.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 ₱288

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₱83.7

$1.22 ₱76.3

9.84%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

0.69%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$23.7K ₱1.5M

-18.16%

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

$121 ₱7,564

$139 ₱8,698

-13.04%

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

$14.86 ₱929

$8.10 ₱506

83.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.84 ₱1,741

$27.83 ₱1,740

0.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.06 ₱2,005

$15.84 ₱991

102.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.43 ₱402

$2.43 ₱152

164.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 ₱352

$4.52 ₱282

24.78%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$31.97 ₱1,999

755.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,017 ₱501.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.77 ₱3,050

$56.9 ₱3,560

-14.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 ₱1,594

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 ₱4,884

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₱3,616

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.3K

$267 ₱16.7K

87.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₱18.7K

$179 ₱11.2K

67.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 ₱68.1K

$474 ₱29.6K

129.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.5K

$337 ₱21.1K

87.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,888 ₱180.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱117.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$209 ₱13.0K

66.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bacolod: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $500 in Cebu versus $267 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 66% 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 $13.00 in Bacolod. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $152 – 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: $936 in Cebu, $639 in Bacolod – roughly 46% apart. Cebu costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,404 per month in Cebu and $959 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Cebu and $13.00 in Bacolod. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Cebu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bacolod, where all-in costs run around $639, than in Cebu at $936. 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 $639 in Bacolod to $936 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.