Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bacong Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bacong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $924 per month in Cebu vs $637 in Bacong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Cebu vs $998 in Bacong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,905 per month in Cebu vs $1,358 in Bacong, rent included.

Cebu costs about 45% more than Bacong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cebu and Bacong are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 33% lower, Bacong 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ₱191

$2.88 ₱179

6.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 ₱1,445

$19.08 ₱1,190

21.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₱252

$3.29 ₱205

22.80%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱155

$2.07 ₱129

20.29%

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

$1.52 ₱94.8

$0.70 ₱43.80

117.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.54

$0.34 ₱21.27

44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₱112

$0.85 ₱53.2

111.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱143

$1.75 ₱109

30.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱120

$1.64 ₱102

17.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱86.8

$1.22 ₱76.1

13.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.2

$0.84 ₱52.4

20.24%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱126

$2.05 ₱128

-0.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 ₱616

$6.04 ₱377

63.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱282

$4.19 ₱262

7.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₱474

$6.28 ₱392

20.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ₱208

$3.30 ₱206

1.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱87.2

$1.04 ₱64.8

34.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱150

$3.10 ₱193

-22.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱96.6

$1.46 ₱90.8

6.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 ₱153

$2.34 ₱146

5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱119

$2.83 ₱176

-32.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱76.5

$1.46 ₱91.3

-15.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.60

$0.83 ₱52.1

-25.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱179

$2.97 ₱185

-3.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱393

$6.55 ₱409

-3.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱80.8

$1.13 ₱70.6

15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱109

$1.30 ₱81.3

34.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.22

$0.27 ₱16.85

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱790

$11.19 ₱698

13.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.55

$0.75 ₱46.77

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.34

$0.34 ₱21.10

-32.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱270

$2.33 ₱145

85.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱78.9

$0.94 ₱58.9

34.04%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-1.71%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

0.48%

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

$121 ₱7,546

$51.9 ₱3,237

133.05%

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

$15.07 ₱940

$9.64 ₱601

56.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.29 ₱1,702

$27.36 ₱1,706

-0.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.26 ₱2,012

$31.83 ₱1,985

1.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₱398

$4.71 ₱294

35.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱351

$4.77 ₱297

18.03%

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

$281 ₱17.5K

$32.26 ₱2,012

771.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,117 ₱506.2K

$7,995 ₱498.6K

1.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 ₱3,058

$32.53 ₱2,029

50.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 ₱1,542

$19.35 ₱1,206

27.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₱4,860

$55.5 ₱3,461

40.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,637

$24.06 ₱1,500

142.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.4K

$150 ₱9,376

234.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.1K

$176 ₱11.0K

74.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₱67.7K

$500 ₱31.1K

117.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.4K

$347 ₱21.7K

82.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₱178.9K

$2,599 ₱162.1K

10.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 ₱117.9K

$1,032 ₱64.4K

83.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

7.33

-1.77%

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

Last update for Cebu: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bacong: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $503 in Cebu versus $150 in Bacong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Cebu versus $19.00 in Bacong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $190 – making Bacong 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 Bacong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cebu is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,386 per month in Cebu and $956 in Bacong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacong, 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 $23.00 in Cebu and $19.00 in Bacong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $924 in Cebu and $637 in Bacong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacong, where all-in costs run around $637, than in Cebu at $924. In Bacong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cebu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bacong. 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.