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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $924 per month in Cebu vs $631 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Cebu vs $976 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,905 per month in Cebu vs $1,321 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Cebu costs about 46% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cebu and Cabanatuan are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 33% lower, Cabanatuan 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ₱192

$4.01 ₱252

-23.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 ₱1,453

$16.57 ₱1,039

39.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₱253

$2.84 ₱178

42.25%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱156

$1.79 ₱112

39.11%

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

$1.52 ₱95.3

$0.60 ₱37.67

153.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.70

$0.32 ₱19.93

53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₱113

$0.99 ₱61.9

81.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱144

$1.58 ₱99.0

44.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.70 ₱106

12.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.3

$1.12 ₱70.3

24.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$0.90 ₱56.3

12.22%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱127

$2.08 ₱130

-2.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 ₱619

$5.03 ₱315

96.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱283

$3.41 ₱214

32.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₱476

$7.74 ₱485

-1.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ₱209

$2.33 ₱146

43.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱87.7

$1.06 ₱66.3

32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$2.39 ₱150

0.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.1

$0.77 ₱48.29

101.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 ₱154

$1.76 ₱111

39.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.74 ₱109

9.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$0.62 ₱38.65

98.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.80

$0.49 ₱30.54

26.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱180

$2.92 ₱183

-1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱395

$8.77 ₱550

-28.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.2

$0.93 ₱58.2

39.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.01 ₱126

-12.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.30

$0.27 ₱17.09

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱794

$11.32 ₱709

11.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.79

$0.77 ₱48.01

-2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.25 ₱15.73

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$1.88 ₱118

130.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.3

$1.00 ₱62.4

26.00%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

-2.34%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

0.94%

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

$121 ₱7,586

$54.4 ₱3,408

122.55%

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

$15.07 ₱944

$17.28 ₱1,083

-12.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.29 ₱1,711

$21.47 ₱1,346

27.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.26 ₱2,022

$11.04 ₱692

192.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₱400

$4.72 ₱296

35.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱353

$5.11 ₱321

10.18%

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

$281 ₱17.6K

$134 ₱8,423

109.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,117 ₱508.9K

$10.5K ₱660.7K

-22.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 ₱3,074

$24.27 ₱1,521

102.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 ₱1,550

$19.70 ₱1,235

25.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₱4,886

$61.2 ₱3,836

27.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,656

$55.1 ₱3,454

5.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.5K

$265 ₱16.6K

89.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.2K

$170 ₱10.6K

80.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₱68.1K

$506 ₱31.7K

114.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.6K

$350 ₱21.9K

80.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₱179.8K

$2,631 ₱164.9K

9.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 ₱118.5K

$1,028 ₱64.4K

83.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$161 ₱10.1K

115.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.75

6.67%

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

Last update for Cebu: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $503 in Cebu versus $265 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 115% 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 $23.00 in Cebu versus $17.00 in Cabanatuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $170 – making Cabanatuan 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 Cabanatuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $924 in Cebu, $631 in Cabanatuan – roughly 46% apart. Cebu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,386 per month in Cebu and $946 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 $23.00 in Cebu and $17.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $924 in Cebu and $631 in Cabanatuan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cabanatuan, where all-in costs run around $631, than in Cebu at $924. 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 $631 in Cabanatuan to $924 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.