Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Calbayog Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Calbayog

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $924 per month in Cebu vs $723 in Calbayog, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Cebu vs $1,106 in Calbayog, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,905 per month in Cebu vs $1,488 in Calbayog, rent included.

Cebu costs about 28% more than Calbayog, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cebu and Calbayog are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 33% lower, Calbayog 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ₱192

$3.80 ₱238

-19.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 ₱1,452

$17.03 ₱1,067

36.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₱253

$2.77 ₱174

45.85%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱156

$2.26 ₱141

10.18%

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

$1.52 ₱95.3

$0.63 ₱39.38

141.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.70

$0.34 ₱21.40

44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₱113

$1.12 ₱70.4

60.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱144

$1.83 ₱115

25.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.62 ₱101

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.2

$1.12 ₱70.0

24.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$0.91 ₱57.0

10.99%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱127

$1.89 ₱118

7.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 ₱619

$5.48 ₱344

80.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱283

$4.13 ₱259

9.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₱476

$7.09 ₱444

7.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ₱209

$2.37 ₱148

40.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱87.7

$1.55 ₱97.1

-9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$2.33 ₱146

3.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.1

$1.18 ₱73.9

31.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 ₱154

$2.04 ₱128

20.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.95 ₱122

-2.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$0.83 ₱52.3

48.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.79

$0.53 ₱32.99

16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱180

$2.84 ₱178

1.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱395

$7.83 ₱491

-19.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.2

$0.97 ₱60.6

34.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.93 ₱121

-9.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.29

$0.25 ₱15.48

-8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱794

$11.18 ₱701

13.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.78

$0.77 ₱48.35

-2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.25 ₱15.68

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$1.88 ₱118

130.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.3

$1.16 ₱72.9

8.62%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-0.31%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

1.78%

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

$121 ₱7,583

$122 ₱7,659

-0.99%

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

$15.07 ₱944

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.29 ₱1,710

$24.27 ₱1,521

12.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.26 ₱2,022

$32.07 ₱2,010

0.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₱400

$4.85 ₱304

31.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱353

$5.08 ₱318

10.83%

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

$281 ₱17.6K

$134 ₱8,369

110.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,117 ₱508.7K

$8,012 ₱502.1K

1.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 ₱3,073

$31.60 ₱1,980

55.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 ₱1,549

$19.39 ₱1,215

27.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₱4,885

$72.7 ₱4,555

7.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,655

$55.2 ₱3,461

5.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.5K

$265 ₱16.6K

89.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.2K

$172 ₱10.8K

78.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₱68.0K

$504 ₱31.6K

115.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.6K

$357 ₱22.4K

77.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₱179.7K

$2,549 ₱159.7K

12.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 ₱118.5K

$1,041 ₱65.3K

81.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$155 ₱9,708

123.54%

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 Calbayog: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $503 in Cebu versus $265 in Calbayog. 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 124% 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 Calbayog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $177 – making Calbayog 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 Calbayog: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cebu is pricier by about 28%, 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 $1,085 in Calbayog. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 18% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Cebu and $17.00 in Calbayog. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calbayog, where all-in costs run around $723, than in Cebu at $924. In Calbayog it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cebu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calbayog – 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 Calbayog. 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.