Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Ballasalla

For one person, living is cheaper in Ballasalla: $866 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $820 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Ballasalla

🇮🇲 Isle of Man

$866

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Ballasalla

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 Ballasalla actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $866 in Ballasalla.

Cebu $934
Ballasalla $866

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $2,237 in Ballasalla.

Cebu $1,415
Ballasalla $2,237

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $3,607 in Ballasalla.

Cebu $1,896
Ballasalla $3,607

Living in Cebu is roughly 8% more expensive than in Ballasalla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Ballasalla 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$16.08 IMP 12.17

-81.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$11.42 IMP 8.64

-64.19%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$7.71 IMP 5.84

-67.32%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$2.57 IMP 1.94

-40.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$2.70 IMP 2.04

-81.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$5.17 IMP 3.91

-65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$5.98 IMP 4.53

-62.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$4.57 IMP 3.46

-94.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

$65.5 IMP 49.56

-80.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$1.86 IMP 1.41

-28.49%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

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

$121 ₱7,563

$260 IMP 197

-53.67%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$39.65 IMP 30.02

-63.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$53.7 IMP 40.68

-47.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$53.3 IMP 40.34

-38.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

$27.01 IMP 20.44

-76.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$26.84 IMP 20.32

-79.66%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

$1,248 IMP 945

-59.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$2,533 IMP 1,918

-58.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

$2,101 IMP 1,591

-70.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

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: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ballasalla: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Ballasalla

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Ballasalla

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Ballasalla

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Ballasalla

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Ballasalla

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Ballasalla

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Ballasalla

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $1,248 in Ballasalla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇮🇲 Ballasalla

🕒 Local time

15:09 3:09 PM

08:09 8:09 AM

7 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

3,100

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Isle of Man Pound IMP £

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 IMP = 1.32 USD

1 IMP = 1.18 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IMP, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Isle of Man Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.757 IMP (1 IMP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.849 IMP (1 IMP = 1.18 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Ballasalla 11,390 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Ballasalla

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 Ballasalla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ballasalla is cheaper overall, especially in groceries and clothing. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,401 in Cebu and $1,299 in Ballasalla to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $1,248 in Ballasalla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ballasalla runs roughly 417% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $866 in Ballasalla – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Ballasalla versus $934 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ballasalla but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Ballasalla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ballasalla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Ballasalla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ballasalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.