Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Cabanatuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Cabanatuan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $873 per month in Cebu vs $518 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,339 per month in Cebu vs $1,040 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,805 per month in Cebu vs $1,562 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Cebu costs about 69% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cebu and Cabanatuan are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 35% lower, Cabanatuan 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$4.53 ₱279

-3.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$35.60 ₱2,192

-31.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$3.65 ₱225

24.11%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.81 ₱173

-10.32%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.87 ₱53.4

-8.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.49 ₱29.91

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.42 ₱87.5

11.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.72 ₱168

-19.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.99 ₱123

13.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.62 ₱99.8

-6.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$0.91 ₱55.8

27.47%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$2.01 ₱124

17.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$3.49 ₱215

268.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$3.06 ₱188

75.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$6.73 ₱414

16.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$4.06 ₱250

-13.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.27 ₱78.5

18.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.99 ₱122

65.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$0.79 ₱48.46

178.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$1.41 ₱86.9

87.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$1.38 ₱85.1

78.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.04 ₱64.0

-3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.84 ₱51.7

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$2.88 ₱177

7.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$5.60 ₱345

14.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$0.75 ₱46.08

54.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.79 ₱110

25.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.26 ₱15.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱946

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.74 ₱45.61

9.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.24 ₱14.80

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$0.86 ₱52.9

206.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.12 ₱69.0

-1.79%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$28.1K ₱1.7M

8.56%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$17.9K ₱1.1M

55.00%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$57.8 ₱3,561

65.78%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$21.13 ₱1,301

61.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,839

$24.41 ₱1,503

22.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$12.28 ₱756

171.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$4.47 ₱275

89.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$6.71 ₱413

-13.71%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$154 ₱9,485

52.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$4,249 ₱261.6K

-7.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$26.18 ₱1,612

102.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$33.75 ₱2,078

-32.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,685

$61.5 ₱3,785

23.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$47.18 ₱2,905

16.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$270 ₱16.6K

88.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$44.45 ₱2,736

371.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$583 ₱35.9K

37.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$390 ₱24.0K

-0.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$2,049 ₱126.1K

47.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$978 ₱60.2K

99.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$201 ₱12.4K

68.96%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $508 in Cebu versus $270 in Cabanatuan. 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 69% 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 $36.00 in Cabanatuan. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Cebu vs $173 in Cabanatuan – so Cabanatuan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cabanatuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $873 in Cebu, $518 in Cabanatuan – roughly 69% apart. Cebu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,310 per month in Cebu and $777 in Cabanatuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Cebu and $36.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Cebu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cabanatuan, where all-in costs run around $518, than in Cebu at $873. In Cabanatuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cebu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cebu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $518 in Cabanatuan to $873 in Cebu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Cabanatuan. 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.