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: $870 in Cebu versus $736 in Cotabato City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,345 in Cebu versus $1,158 in Cotabato City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,821 in Cebu versus $1,580 in Cotabato City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 18% more expensive than Cotabato City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Cotabato City 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ₱271

$4.32 ₱262

3.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.32 ₱1,472

$24.28 ₱1,469

0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 ₱265

$4.48 ₱271

-2.23%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₱158

$2.04 ₱123

28.43%

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

$0.85 ₱51.1

$0.87 ₱52.4

-2.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₱27.77

$0.53 ₱31.86

-13.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 ₱95.4

$1.46 ₱88.3

8.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱127

$1.75 ₱106

20.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 ₱139

$1.07 ₱64.8

114.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ₱96.0

$0.34 ₱20.34

367.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ₱68.2

$0.84 ₱50.9

34.52%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱143

$2.01 ₱122

17.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 ₱778

$6.18 ₱374

108.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 ₱319

$3.32 ₱201

58.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 ₱475

$7.21 ₱436

8.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 ₱213

$1.39 ₱84.4

153.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₱88.3

$1.03 ₱62.6

41.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱197

$1.05 ₱63.3

210.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱138

$1.13 ₱68.2

101.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 ₱155

$1.27 ₱77.0

100.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 ₱155

$1.47 ₱89.1

74.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₱58.9

$0.51 ₱30.80

90.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱46.73

$0.56 ₱33.66

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 ₱191

$0.90 ₱54.6

251.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.54 ₱396

$8.28 ₱501

-21.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱72.8

$1.36 ₱82.1

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱142

$1.54 ₱93.3

51.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.11

$0.26 ₱15.73

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.34 ₱928

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 ₱53.6

$0.86 ₱52.0

3.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.18

$0.23 ₱13.90

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 ₱158

$2.11 ₱128

23.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱69.0

$1.14 ₱68.8

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

$30.5K ₱1.8M

$22.3K ₱1.4M

36.31%

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

$27.1K ₱1.6M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

30.37%

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

$96.7 ₱5,851

$106 ₱6,385

-8.38%

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

$33.82 ₱2,046

$34.24 ₱2,072

-1.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.28 ₱1,832

$36.31 ₱2,197

-16.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.35 ₱2,018

$34.32 ₱2,077

-2.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.41 ₱509

$4.33 ₱262

94.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 ₱355

$3.10 ₱187

89.35%

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

$232 ₱14.0K

$121 ₱7,345

90.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,944 ₱238.7K

$4,335 ₱262.3K

-9.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 ₱3,135

$45.35 ₱2,744

14.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.34 ₱1,412

$30.23 ₱1,829

-22.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 ₱4,593

$79.1 ₱4,784

-4.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 ₱3,321

$68.0 ₱4,112

-19.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 ₱31.0K

$266 ₱16.1K

92.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.7K

$174 ₱10.5K

20.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$807 ₱48.8K

$580 ₱35.1K

38.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₱23.5K

$392 ₱23.7K

-0.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,064 ₱185.4K

$2,222 ₱134.4K

37.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,947 ₱117.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$386 ₱23.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

-16.32%

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

Last update for Cebu: April 22, 2026

Last update for Cotabato City: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Cebu and $266 in Cotabato City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24 in Cebu vs $24 in Cotabato City. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $147, with Cotabato City cheaper for home cooking.

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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,305 in Cebu and $1,104 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: $512 in Cebu versus $266 in Cotabato City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $870 per month in Cebu versus $736 in Cotabato City – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $736 in Cotabato City versus $870 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 18% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.