Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Cotabato City

For one person, living is cheaper in Cotabato City: $738 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Cotabato City
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Cotabato City Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Cotabato City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$738

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Cotabato City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cebu and in Cotabato City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $738 in Cotabato City.

Cebu $934
Cotabato City $738

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,423 in Cebu versus $1,139 in Cotabato City.

Cebu $1,423
Cotabato City $1,139

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,913 in Cebu versus $1,539 in Cotabato City.

Cebu $1,913
Cotabato City $1,539

Living in Cebu is roughly 27% more expensive than in Cotabato City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 31% lower, Cotabato City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 ₱242

$4.81 ₱307

-21.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.33 ₱1,491

$16.14 ₱1,031

44.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.94 ₱252

$3.97 ₱254

-0.76%

Cappuccino

$2.54 ₱163

$2.17 ₱139

17.05%

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

$1.57 ₱100

$1.06 ₱67.6

48.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₱29.82

$0.62 ₱39.75

-24.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 ₱113

$1.14 ₱73.1

55.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₱142

$2.08 ₱133

6.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱121

$2.01 ₱128

-5.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱87.1

$1.08 ₱68.8

25.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱59.8

$0.75 ₱48.19

25.33%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱127

$1.90 ₱121

4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 ₱620

$6.44 ₱411

50.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 ₱276

$4.59 ₱293

-5.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 ₱480

$9.44 ₱603

-20.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱211

$2.76 ₱176

19.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 ₱87.5

$1.10 ₱70.0

24.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱149

$2.40 ₱153

-2.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱95.4

$1.17 ₱74.7

27.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱147

$1.97 ₱126

16.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₱120

$3.30 ₱211

-43.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱70.3

$1.24 ₱78.9

-11.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱40.36

$0.66 ₱42.15

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ₱183

$2.40 ₱154

19.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ₱389

$8.03 ₱513

-24.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱81.4

$1.27 ₱80.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱110

$1.64 ₱105

4.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.99

$0.22 ₱13.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 ₱788

$11.32 ₱723

9.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱47.53

$0.76 ₱48.30

-2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱14.08

$0.22 ₱13.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 ₱273

$1.85 ₱118

131.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱83.7

$1.10 ₱70.2

19.09%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

-0.26%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$18.8K ₱1.2M

1.49%

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

$118 ₱7,565

$108 ₱6,875

10.05%

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

$15.76 ₱1,007

$18.43 ₱1,178

-14.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.33 ₱1,810

$30.97 ₱1,978

-8.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.94 ₱2,105

$30.96 ₱1,978

6.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.49 ₱415

$5.25 ₱335

23.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 ₱348

$4.73 ₱302

15.22%

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

$276 ₱17.6K

$105 ₱6,684

163.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,789 ₱497.7K

$7,282 ₱465.3K

6.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 ₱3,078

$32.48 ₱2,075

48.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.47 ₱1,564

$19.49 ₱1,246

25.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 ₱4,810

$69.5 ₱4,438

8.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 ₱3,707

$60.5 ₱3,862

-4.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 ₱30.5K

$224 ₱14.3K

112.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₱20.6K

$153 ₱9,753

110.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 ₱61.5K

$447 ₱28.6K

115.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 ₱40.0K

$333 ₱21.3K

87.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,551 ₱290.8K

$2,692 ₱172.0K

69.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,028 ₱193.5K

$1,003 ₱64.1K

201.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$333 ₱21.3K

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Cotabato City: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$322 34.5%

Cotabato City

$153 20.7% 52.6% $169

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$204 21.8%

Cotabato City

$199 26.9% 2.4% $4.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.4%

Cotabato City

$157 21.3% 3.4% $5.5

Eating Out

Cebu

$94 10.1%

Cotabato City

$93 12.6% 1.1% $1

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$93 9.9%

Cotabato City

$82 11.1% 11.7% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Cotabato City

$40 5.5% 7.8% $3.4

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.6%

Cotabato City

$14 1.9% 6.8% $1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Cebu and $224 in Cotabato City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23 in Cebu vs $16 in Cotabato City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $199 per month, with Cotabato City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇵🇭 Cotabato City

🕒 Local time

06:05 6:05 AM

Same time as Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

325,079

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Cebu Cotabato City 340 km

From you

Cebu
Cotabato City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 about 21% cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,401 in Cebu and $1,107 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: $477 in Cebu versus $224 in Cotabato City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cotabato City runs roughly 8% less than in Cebu. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

All in, you’ll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $738 in Cotabato City – Cotabato City is about 21% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.