Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bataan Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bataan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $595 in Bataan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $979 in Bataan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,363 in Bataan.

Living in Cebu is roughly 47% more expensive than Bataan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Bataan 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$1.41 ₱86.7

207.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$17.80 ₱1,098

35.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.04 ₱188

43.42%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$1.50 ₱92.4

71.33%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.88 ₱54.2

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.26 ₱15.94

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.42 ₱87.7

7.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.67 ₱165

-20.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.86 ₱115

18.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.40 ₱86.2

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$1.00 ₱61.9

11.00%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.06 ₱127

13.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$7.99 ₱493

63.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$4.15 ₱256

28.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$10.82 ₱667

-30.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$2.94 ₱182

21.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$2.08 ₱128

-30.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$3.61 ₱223

-6.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.39 ₱85.5

56.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$1.45 ₱89.4

78.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.50 ₱154

-0.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.12 ₱69.1

-17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.50 ₱31.13

58.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$2.53 ₱156

22.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$8.96 ₱552

-27.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.10 ₱67.7

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.47 ₱152

-6.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.26 ₱15.85

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

$4.19 ₱258

258.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.77 ₱47.47

9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.22 ₱13.56

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.08 ₱129

29.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.12 ₱68.8

-2.68%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$28.8K ₱1.8M

4.42%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$28.5K ₱1.8M

-5.32%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$53.4 ₱3,292

78.61%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$23.19 ₱1,430

45.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$26.39 ₱1,628

12.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$34.30 ₱2,115

-4.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.48 ₱276

88.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$6.27 ₱387

-6.86%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$75.1 ₱4,629

209.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$4,255 ₱262.3K

-8.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$44.90 ₱2,769

19.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$33.73 ₱2,080

-32.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$68.3 ₱4,213

12.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$115 ₱7,073

-52.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$99.4 ₱6,128

418.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$58.0 ₱3,574

259.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$311 ₱19.2K

158.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$173 ₱10.7K

129.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$394 ₱24.3K

-7.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

29.66%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bataan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $99.4 in Bataan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bataan pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $18.00 in Bataan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $219 per month, with Bataan cheaper across the board.

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 Bataan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bataan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bataan earns 8% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Cebu versus $99.4 in Bataan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bataan – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $24.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $595 in Bataan versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bataan but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Bataan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bataan 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 Bataan 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 Bataan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.