Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Dagupan Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Dagupan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $805 in Dagupan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,189 in Dagupan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,572 in Dagupan.

Living in Cebu is roughly 8% more expensive than Dagupan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Dagupan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$3.21 ₱198

34.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$13.36 ₱824

80.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$4.87 ₱300

-10.47%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.80 ₱173

-8.21%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.55 ₱33.71

52.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.26 ₱15.90

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.30 ₱80.4

17.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$3.05 ₱188

-30.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$2.09 ₱129

5.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.44 ₱89.0

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$0.90 ₱55.4

23.33%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.09 ₱129

11.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$6.53 ₱403

99.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$4.53 ₱279

18.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$7.78 ₱480

-3.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$4.56 ₱281

-21.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.94 ₱119

-25.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$2.61 ₱161

29.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.32 ₱81.5

65.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$3.17 ₱196

-18.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.90 ₱179

-14.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.09 ₱67.3

-15.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.59 ₱36.38

33.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$2.58 ₱159

20.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$5.75 ₱354

13.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$0.99 ₱60.8

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.09 ₱129

11.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.22 ₱13.51

27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.68 ₱41.68

23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.24 ₱14.89

4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$3.58 ₱221

-24.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.11 ₱68.3

-1.80%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$33.1K ₱2.0M

-9.03%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$22.0K ₱1.4M

22.64%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$113 ₱6,941

-15.29%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$27.60 ₱1,702

22.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$29.24 ₱1,803

1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$37.44 ₱2,308

-12.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.51 ₱278

86.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$5.83 ₱359

0.17%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$113 ₱6,978

105.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$4,395 ₱271.0K

-11.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$59.4 ₱3,660

-9.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$8.63 ₱532

163.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$85.5 ₱5,273

-10.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$50.1 ₱3,089

8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$223 ₱13.7K

131.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$177 ₱10.9K

18.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$518 ₱32.0K

55.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$292 ₱18.0K

35.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$2,343 ₱144.5K

26.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$964 ₱59.4K

99.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$241 ₱14.9K

51.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

19.94%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $223 in Dagupan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 51% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $13.00 in Dagupan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $212 per month, with Dagupan 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 Dagupan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dagupan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 51% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Cebu versus $223 in Dagupan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $873 per month in Cebu versus $805 in Dagupan – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $805 in Dagupan versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dagupan but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Dagupan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dagupan 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 Dagupan 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 Dagupan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.