Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Cagayan de Oro City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Cagayan de Oro City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $924 in Cebu versus $756 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Cebu versus $1,149 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,905 in Cebu versus $1,542 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 22% more expensive than in Cagayan de Oro City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Cagayan de Oro City 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ₱192

$3.67 ₱230

-16.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 ₱1,453

$12.98 ₱814

78.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₱253

$2.97 ₱186

36.03%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱156

$2.31 ₱145

7.79%

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

$1.52 ₱95.3

$0.74 ₱46.57

105.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.70

$0.84 ₱52.8

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₱113

$1.41 ₱88.7

27.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱144

$2.00 ₱126

14.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.47 ₱91.9

30.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.3

$0.85 ₱53.2

63.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$0.96 ₱60.0

5.21%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱127

$2.09 ₱131

-2.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 ₱619

$8.24 ₱517

19.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱283

$3.20 ₱200

41.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₱476

$5.99 ₱375

26.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ₱209

$2.15 ₱135

55.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱87.7

$1.09 ₱68.2

28.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$2.77 ₱174

-13.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.1

$1.16 ₱72.6

33.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 ₱154

$2.24 ₱141

9.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱120

$2.62 ₱164

-27.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$0.83 ₱52.1

48.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.80

$0.46 ₱28.63

34.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱180

$2.83 ₱177

1.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱395

$3.92 ₱245

60.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.2

$1.63 ₱102

-20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.88 ₱118

-6.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.30

$0.39 ₱24.28

-41.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱794

$9.52 ₱597

32.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.79

$0.61 ₱38.35

22.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.23 ₱14.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$2.43 ₱152

78.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.3

$1.01 ₱63.2

24.75%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

2.14%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

-0.09%

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

$121 ₱7,586

$135 ₱8,439

-10.12%

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

$15.07 ₱944

$22.79 ₱1,429

-33.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.29 ₱1,711

$30.99 ₱1,943

-11.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.26 ₱2,022

$20.28 ₱1,271

59.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₱400

$2.85 ₱179

123.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱353

$4.35 ₱273

29.43%

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

$281 ₱17.6K

$66.8 ₱4,189

320.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,117 ₱508.9K

$2,217 ₱139.0K

266.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 ₱3,074

$32.37 ₱2,030

51.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 ₱1,550

$13.26 ₱831

86.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₱4,886

$51.1 ₱3,201

52.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,656

$40.64 ₱2,548

43.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.5K

$386 ₱24.2K

30.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.2K

$223 ₱14.0K

37.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₱68.1K

$699 ₱43.8K

55.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.6K

$448 ₱28.1K

41.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₱179.8K

$1,613 ₱101.1K

77.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 ₱118.5K

$940 ₱59.0K

101.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$305 ₱19.1K

13.62%

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 Cagayan de Oro City: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Cebu and $386 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 14% 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 $13.00 in Cagayan de Oro City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $169 per month, with Cagayan de Oro City cheaper across the board.

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 Cagayan de Oro City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu and Cagayan de Oro City differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($924 vs $756 including rent). Cagayan de Oro City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 14% 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: $503 in Cebu versus $386 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $23.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $756 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $924 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cagayan de Oro City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Cagayan de Oro 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 Cagayan de Oro 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 Cagayan de Oro City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.