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: $936 in Cebu versus $753 in Dagupan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in Cebu versus $1,106 in Dagupan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,918 in Cebu versus $1,458 in Dagupan.

Living in Cebu is roughly 24% more expensive than in Dagupan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Dagupan 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱193

$2.82 ₱176

9.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 ₱1,490

$11.88 ₱744

100.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 ₱257

$4.51 ₱282

-9.09%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$2.49 ₱156

4.42%

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

$1.55 ₱97.0

$0.47 ₱29.40

229.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱33.49

$0.25 ₱15.68

116.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.22 ₱76.5

41.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱137

$2.69 ₱168

-18.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱120

$1.82 ₱114

5.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.2

$1.24 ₱77.8

12.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱60.9

$0.91 ₱56.7

6.59%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱125

$1.94 ₱121

3.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ₱621

$5.65 ₱354

75.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 ₱274

$4.93 ₱309

-11.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 ₱464

$7.20 ₱451

2.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱217

$4.19 ₱262

-17.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱91.8

$2.01 ₱126

-26.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$2.79 ₱175

-13.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

$1.19 ₱74.3

29.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.86 ₱179

-17.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱120

$3.60 ₱226

-46.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₱77.4

$1.10 ₱68.9

12.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱41.47

$0.58 ₱36.44

13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$2.34 ₱146

28.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ₱381

$5.46 ₱342

11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$0.90 ₱56.2

45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.90 ₱119

-8.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.66

$0.22 ₱13.77

13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱797

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.83

$0.61 ₱38.12

22.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.43

$0.21 ₱13.12

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 ₱288

$1.93 ₱121

138.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₱83.8

$1.07 ₱66.8

25.23%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$21.7K ₱1.4M

0.13%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.8K ₱1.2M

-1.68%

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

$121 ₱7,572

$102 ₱6,395

18.40%

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

$14.86 ₱930

$16.41 ₱1,027

-9.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.84 ₱1,743

$26.48 ₱1,657

5.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.06 ₱2,007

$33.14 ₱2,074

-3.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.43 ₱403

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 ₱353

$4.99 ₱313

13.03%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$789 ₱49.4K

-65.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,017 ₱501.9K

$7,552 ₱472.7K

6.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.77 ₱3,053

$61.1 ₱3,822

-20.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 ₱1,595

$7.89 ₱494

223.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 ₱4,889

$82.7 ₱5,176

-5.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₱3,620

$104 ₱6,509

-44.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.3K

$195 ₱12.2K

156.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₱18.8K

$158 ₱9,863

90.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 ₱68.1K

$357 ₱22.3K

205.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.6K

$263 ₱16.5K

140.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,888 ₱180.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱117.5K

$488 ₱30.5K

284.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$242 ₱15.2K

42.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

7.5

-4.00%

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

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $195 in Dagupan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 43% 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 $12.00 in Dagupan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $202 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 43% higher in Cebu, 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: $500 in Cebu versus $195 in Dagupan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $936 per month in Cebu versus $753 in Dagupan – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $753 in Dagupan versus $936 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 24% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.