Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bayawan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bayawan City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $854 in Cebu versus $801 in Bayawan City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,318 in Cebu versus $1,258 in Bayawan City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,782 in Cebu versus $1,714 in Bayawan City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 7% more expensive than Bayawan City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 36% lower, Bayawan City 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ₱271

$4.45 ₱274

-1.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.98 ₱1,479

$23.57 ₱1,454

1.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₱280

$4.42 ₱272

2.71%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱156

$2.66 ₱164

-4.89%

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

$0.85 ₱52.6

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱27.85

$0.43 ₱26.41

4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ₱93.6

$1.57 ₱96.9

-3.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.07 ₱128

5.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 ₱142

$1.90 ₱117

21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ₱96.8

$1.51 ₱93.2

3.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ₱71.2

$0.81 ₱49.94

41.98%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱146

$2.27 ₱140

3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱804

$13.02 ₱803

0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 ₱314

$5.28 ₱326

-3.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 ₱490

$7.76 ₱478

2.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 ₱215

$3.45 ₱213

1.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.48 ₱91.2

2.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$3.40 ₱209

-3.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.25 ₱139

-2.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ₱161

$2.64 ₱163

-1.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 ₱151

$2.44 ₱151

0.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.9

$1.00 ₱61.5

-8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱51.4

$0.77 ₱47.52

7.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₱202

$3.25 ₱201

0.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 ₱416

$4.85 ₱299

38.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.7

$0.90 ₱55.7

34.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₱140

$2.33 ₱144

-2.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.37

$0.28 ₱17.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.14 ₱934

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱53.6

$0.87 ₱53.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.50

$0.23 ₱14.14

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 ₱161

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.3

$1.10 ₱68.0

3.64%

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

$29.6K ₱1.8M

$30.5K ₱1.9M

-2.88%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$26.8K ₱1.7M

0.81%

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

$95.2 ₱5,870

$97.3 ₱6,000

-2.16%

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

$33.67 ₱2,077

$34.88 ₱2,151

-3.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.79 ₱1,837

$29.35 ₱1,811

1.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.90 ₱2,029

$34.21 ₱2,110

-3.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.16 ₱503

$4.47 ₱276

82.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$1.82 ₱112

218.13%

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

$232 ₱14.3K

$229 ₱14.1K

1.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,860 ₱238.1K

$3,862 ₱238.2K

-0.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 ₱3,214

$45.64 ₱2,815

14.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.82 ₱1,407

$23.45 ₱1,446

-2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ₱4,736

$75.8 ₱4,672

1.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 ₱3,351

$56.2 ₱3,469

-3.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 ₱30.6K

$261 ₱16.1K

90.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ₱13.2K

$179 ₱11.1K

19.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ₱49.2K

$595 ₱36.7K

34.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 ₱23.8K

$397 ₱24.5K

-2.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,968 ₱183.1K

$2,233 ₱137.7K

32.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,963 ₱121.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$383 ₱23.6K

$117 ₱7,219

227.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Cebu: April 28, 2026

Last update for Bayawan City: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Cebu and $261 in Bayawan City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 227% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $24.00 in Bayawan City. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $231, with Bayawan City cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bayawan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu and Bayawan City differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($854 vs $801 including rent). Bayawan City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Cebu pays 227% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $497 in Cebu versus $261 in Bayawan City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $232 in Cebu versus $229 in Bayawan City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $801 in Bayawan City versus $854 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bayawan City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Bayawan City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Bayawan City 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 Bayawan City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.