Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Calapan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Calapan City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $924 per month in Cebu vs $731 in Calapan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Cebu vs $1,113 in Calapan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,905 per month in Cebu vs $1,494 in Calapan City, rent included.

Cebu costs about 26% more than Calapan City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cebu and Calapan City are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 33% lower, Calapan City 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ₱192

$3.82 ₱239

-19.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 ₱1,453

$16.55 ₱1,037

40.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₱253

$2.90 ₱182

39.31%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱156

$2.27 ₱142

9.69%

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

$1.52 ₱95.3

$0.59 ₱36.76

157.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.70

$0.32 ₱19.83

53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₱113

$1.08 ₱67.8

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱144

$1.83 ₱115

25.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.67 ₱105

14.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.3

$1.16 ₱72.5

19.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$0.91 ₱57.0

10.99%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱127

$1.96 ₱123

3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 ₱619

$5.25 ₱329

88.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱283

$4.12 ₱258

9.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₱476

$6.98 ₱437

8.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ₱209

$2.33 ₱146

43.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱87.7

$1.55 ₱97.4

-9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$2.43 ₱152

-0.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.1

$1.13 ₱71.1

37.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 ₱154

$2.06 ₱129

19.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.95 ₱122

-2.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$0.78 ₱48.74

57.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.80

$0.56 ₱34.98

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱180

$2.84 ₱178

1.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱395

$8.14 ₱510

-22.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.2

$0.91 ₱56.9

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.03 ₱127

-13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.30

$0.27 ₱16.95

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱794

$11.27 ₱707

12.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.79

$0.78 ₱48.75

-3.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.23 ₱14.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$1.95 ₱122

122.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.3

$1.01 ₱63.5

24.75%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

-1.11%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

2.46%

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

$121 ₱7,586

$124 ₱7,743

-2.04%

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

$15.07 ₱944

$14.99 ₱940

0.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.29 ₱1,711

$24.78 ₱1,553

10.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.26 ₱2,022

$32.23 ₱2,020

0.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₱400

$4.92 ₱308

29.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱353

$5.31 ₱333

6.03%

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

$281 ₱17.6K

$135 ₱8,488

107.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,117 ₱508.9K

$8,158 ₱511.4K

-0.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 ₱3,074

$31.73 ₱1,989

54.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 ₱1,550

$19.69 ₱1,234

25.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₱4,886

$72.8 ₱4,561

7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,656

$55.5 ₱3,478

5.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.5K

$267 ₱16.8K

88.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.2K

$172 ₱10.8K

78.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₱68.1K

$500 ₱31.3K

117.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.6K

$351 ₱22.0K

80.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₱179.8K

$2,634 ₱165.1K

8.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 ₱118.5K

$1,033 ₱64.8K

82.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$119 ₱7,461

190.93%

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 Calapan City: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $503 in Cebu versus $267 in Calapan City. 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 191% 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 Calapan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $178 – making Calapan City 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 Calapan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cebu is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,386 per month in Cebu and $1,097 in Calapan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calapan City, 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 Calapan City. 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 $731 in Calapan City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calapan City, where all-in costs run around $731, than in Cebu at $924. In Calapan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cebu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calapan City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Calapan City. 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.