Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bulacan Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bulacan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $873 per month in Cebu vs $718 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,326 per month in Cebu vs $1,050 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,778 per month in Cebu vs $1,383 in Bulacan, rent included.

Cebu costs about 22% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cebu and Bulacan are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 35% lower, Bulacan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$2.70 ₱167

60.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$14.10 ₱870

71.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$2.83 ₱174

54.06%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.22 ₱137

15.77%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.68 ₱41.84

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.31 ₱18.92

38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.04 ₱63.9

47.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.10 ₱129

0.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$2.11 ₱130

4.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.25 ₱77.0

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$0.92 ₱56.6

20.65%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$1.97 ₱121

18.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$3.04 ₱188

328.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$3.70 ₱228

44.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$6.67 ₱411

12.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$2.07 ₱128

72.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.44 ₱88.6

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$2.14 ₱132

58.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.43 ₱88.2

52.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$1.74 ₱107

48.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$1.52 ₱93.6

63.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$0.88 ₱54.0

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.84 ₱52.1

-5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$2.87 ₱177

8.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$3.63 ₱224

79.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.09 ₱67.3

11.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.62 ₱100

43.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.29 ₱17.95

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

$7.49 ₱462

100.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.76 ₱47.02

10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.24 ₱14.84

4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.72 ₱168

-1.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.10 ₱67.6

-0.91%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$27.1K ₱1.7M

11.11%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$14.7K ₱905.5K

83.84%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$113 ₱6,942

-15.30%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$32.16 ₱1,983

5.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$27.96 ₱1,724

6.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$40.56 ₱2,501

-18.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.40 ₱271

91.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$6.38 ₱393

-8.46%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$106 ₱6,556

118.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$4,394 ₱270.9K

-11.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$29.90 ₱1,844

78.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$23.35 ₱1,440

-2.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$75.8 ₱4,674

1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$98.2 ₱6,052

-44.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$255 ₱15.7K

101.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$135 ₱8,326

54.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$392 ₱24.1K

105.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$202 ₱12.4K

96.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$1,907 ₱117.6K

55.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$1,479 ₱91.2K

30.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$294 ₱18.1K

23.83%

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 Bulacan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Cebu versus $255 in Bulacan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Cebu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Cebu versus $14.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $165 – making Bulacan 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 Bulacan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu costs about 22% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,309 per month in Cebu and $1,076 in Bulacan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulacan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $873 in Cebu and $718 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 100% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bulacan, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Cebu at $873. In Bulacan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cebu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bulacan costs $718 versus $873 in Cebu. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bulacan. 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.