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: $931 in Cebu versus $757 in Bayawan City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,439 in Cebu versus $1,157 in Bayawan City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,947 in Cebu versus $1,557 in Bayawan City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 23% more expensive than in Bayawan City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Bayawan City 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ₱191

$2.93 ₱184

4.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.09 ₱1,451

$23.27 ₱1,462

-0.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.03 ₱253

$3.91 ₱246

3.07%

Cappuccino

$2.58 ₱162

$2.49 ₱156

3.61%

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

$1.53 ₱96.1

$0.61 ₱38.46

150.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.37

$0.52 ₱32.91

1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 ₱108

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₱143

$2.20 ₱138

3.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₱118

$1.79 ₱112

4.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ₱84.2

$1.12 ₱70.5

19.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.3

$0.73 ₱45.74

39.73%

Eggs

$1.96 ₱123

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ₱624

$9.98 ₱627

-0.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 ₱288

$4.35 ₱273

5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 ₱468

$7.57 ₱476

-1.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱217

$3.33 ₱209

3.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.4

$1.45 ₱91.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₱150

$2.33 ₱146

2.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.6

$1.49 ₱93.7

4.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$2.32 ₱146

-0.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ₱118

$1.96 ₱123

-4.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱77.2

$1.18 ₱74.2

4.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱39.16

$0.66 ₱41.61

-6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 ₱189

$2.91 ₱183

3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.13 ₱385

$4.70 ₱295

30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱81.3

$0.78 ₱48.93

65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₱107

$1.71 ₱108

-0.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.74

$0.27 ₱17.06

-7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.35 ₱776

$10.33 ₱649

19.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.81

$0.77 ₱48.58

2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 ₱276

$1.90 ₱119

131.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.2

$1.08 ₱67.8

21.30%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

2.19%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

0.10%

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

$122 ₱7,694

$119 ₱7,446

3.33%

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

$15.08 ₱948

$15.00 ₱942

0.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.10 ₱1,765

$28.13 ₱1,768

-0.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.67 ₱1,990

$36.32 ₱2,282

-12.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱418

$4.38 ₱275

51.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱339

$1.62 ₱102

233.33%

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

$278 ₱17.5K

$135 ₱8,478

106.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,849 ₱493.1K

$7,922 ₱497.7K

-0.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 ₱3,028

$31.39 ₱1,972

53.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 ₱1,591

$19.13 ₱1,202

32.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 ₱4,790

$76.2 ₱4,785

0.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 ₱3,649

$54.9 ₱3,447

5.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 ₱30.7K

$276 ₱17.4K

77.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.3K

$187 ₱11.8K

63.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₱67.5K

$558 ₱35.1K

92.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ₱39.9K

$345 ₱21.7K

84.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 ₱180.4K

$2,588 ₱162.6K

10.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,912 ₱120.1K

$927 ₱58.2K

106.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$335 ₱21.0K

$113 ₱7,107

195.70%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bayawan City: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $489 in Cebu and $276 in Bayawan City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 196% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $23.00 in Bayawan City. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $197, 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 23% in total monthly costs ($931 vs $757 including rent). Bayawan City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 196% higher in Cebu, 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: $489 in Cebu versus $276 in Bayawan City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayawan City – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $23.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bayawan City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 23% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.