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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $924 in Cebu versus $754 in Cotabato City.

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

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,905 in Cebu versus $1,544 in Cotabato City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 23% more expensive than in Cotabato City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ₱191

$4.92 ₱307

-37.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 ₱1,445

$16.52 ₱1,030

40.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₱252

$4.11 ₱256

-1.70%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱155

$2.15 ₱134

15.81%

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

$1.52 ₱94.8

$1.08 ₱67.6

40.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.54

$0.70 ₱43.73

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₱112

$1.13 ₱70.5

59.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱143

$1.89 ₱118

21.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱120

$2.04 ₱127

-5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱86.8

$1.09 ₱68.2

27.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.2

$0.83 ₱51.7

21.69%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱126

$1.94 ₱121

4.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 ₱616

$6.87 ₱429

43.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱282

$4.16 ₱259

8.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₱474

$8.49 ₱530

-10.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ₱208

$2.62 ₱163

27.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱87.2

$1.13 ₱70.2

23.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱150

$2.31 ₱144

4.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱96.6

$1.20 ₱75.0

29.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 ₱153

$2.14 ₱134

14.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱119

$3.48 ₱217

-45.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱76.5

$1.19 ₱74.5

3.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.60

$0.68 ₱42.37

-8.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱179

$2.55 ₱159

12.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱393

$7.93 ₱495

-20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱80.8

$1.30 ₱80.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱109

$1.59 ₱99.0

10.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.22

$0.25 ₱15.46

-8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱790

$11.14 ₱695

13.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.55

$0.82 ₱50.9

-8.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.34

$0.23 ₱14.24

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱270

$1.90 ₱118

127.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱78.9

$1.17 ₱73.1

7.69%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.6K ₱1.3M

-2.50%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

3.50%

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

$121 ₱7,546

$108 ₱6,720

12.28%

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

$15.07 ₱940

$19.17 ₱1,195

-21.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.29 ₱1,702

$31.98 ₱1,994

-14.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.26 ₱2,012

$32.42 ₱2,021

-0.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₱398

$4.93 ₱308

29.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱351

$4.86 ₱303

15.84%

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

$281 ₱17.5K

$109 ₱6,783

158.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,117 ₱506.2K

$7,655 ₱477.3K

6.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 ₱3,058

$32.37 ₱2,019

51.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 ₱1,542

$19.46 ₱1,214

27.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₱4,860

$71.7 ₱4,470

8.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,637

$61.7 ₱3,845

-5.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.4K

$269 ₱16.8K

86.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.1K

$175 ₱10.9K

75.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₱67.7K

$505 ₱31.5K

114.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.4K

$358 ₱22.3K

76.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₱178.9K

$2,636 ₱164.4K

8.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 ₱117.9K

$1,030 ₱64.2K

83.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

8.31

-13.36%

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

Last update for Cebu: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cotabato City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Cebu and $269 in Cotabato City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Cebu vs $17.00 in Cotabato City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $196 per month, with Cotabato 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 Cotabato City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotabato City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,386 in Cebu and $1,131 in Cotabato City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $503 in Cebu versus $269 in Cotabato City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $924 per month in Cebu versus $754 in Cotabato City – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cotabato City runs roughly 14% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $754 in Cotabato City versus $924 in Cebu, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cotabato City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Cotabato City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotabato City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Cotabato 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 Cotabato City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.