Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Caloocan Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Caloocan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $873 per month in Cebu vs $671 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,326 per month in Cebu vs $1,049 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,778 per month in Cebu vs $1,427 in Caloocan, rent included.

Cebu costs about 30% more than Caloocan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cebu and Caloocan are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 35% lower, Caloocan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$3.51 ₱216

23.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$13.41 ₱827

80.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$2.62 ₱162

66.41%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$1.14 ₱70.1

125.44%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.47 ₱28.69

78.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.38 ₱23.36

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.36 ₱83.9

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.00 ₱123

5.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.85 ₱114

19.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.19 ₱73.2

26.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$1.00 ₱61.4

11.00%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$1.95 ₱120

19.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$2.16 ₱133

503.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$2.80 ₱173

91.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$5.80 ₱358

29.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$1.98 ₱122

80.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.15 ₱70.9

26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$2.36 ₱145

43.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.22 ₱75.3

78.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$1.26 ₱77.6

105.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.29 ₱141

8.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$0.68 ₱42.04

35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.54 ₱33.18

46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$3.33 ₱206

-6.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$4.93 ₱304

32.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.02 ₱63.2

18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.29 ₱141

1.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.20 ₱12.32

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.83 ₱50.9

1.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.22 ₱13.56

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.44 ₱151

10.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.14 ₱70.5

-4.39%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$31.6K ₱1.9M

-4.64%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

30.52%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$59.5 ₱3,666

60.38%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$10.46 ₱645

223.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$26.65 ₱1,643

11.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$5.23 ₱323

529.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.56 ₱281

84.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$5.72 ₱353

2.10%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$154 ₱9,480

51.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$4,733 ₱291.9K

-17.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$49.40 ₱3,046

8.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$27.65 ₱1,705

-17.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$54.3 ₱3,346

41.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$46.58 ₱2,872

16.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$290 ₱17.9K

77.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$265 ₱16.3K

-21.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$595 ₱36.7K

35.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$526 ₱32.4K

-24.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$2,301 ₱141.9K

28.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$1,088 ₱67.1K

76.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$276 ₱17.0K

32.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

77.78%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Caloocan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Cebu versus $290 in Caloocan. 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 32% 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 $13.00 in Caloocan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $150 – making Caloocan 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 Caloocan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu costs about 30% more than Caloocan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,309 per month in Cebu and $1,007 in Caloocan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Caloocan, 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 $13.00 in Caloocan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Caloocan, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Cebu at $873. In Caloocan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cebu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Caloocan costs $671 versus $873 in Cebu. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Caloocan. 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.