Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Davao Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Davao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $835 in Davao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,279 in Davao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,722 in Davao.

Living in Cebu is roughly 5% more expensive than in Davao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Davao 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$4.54 ₱279

-3.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$23.96 ₱1,475

1.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$4.64 ₱286

-2.37%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.06 ₱127

22.33%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.87 ₱53.3

-8.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.54 ₱32.95

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.41 ₱86.5

12.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$1.72 ₱106

27.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.68 ₱103

34.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.22 ₱75.0

23.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$0.96 ₱59.4

20.83%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$2.06 ₱127

14.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$6.20 ₱382

107.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$4.60 ₱283

16.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$7.43 ₱457

5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$2.88 ₱177

22.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.14 ₱70.4

32.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.41 ₱148

36.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.42 ₱87.3

54.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$2.22 ₱137

18.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$3.15 ₱194

-21.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.31 ₱80.7

-23.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.61 ₱37.28

27.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$2.71 ₱167

14.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$8.29 ₱510

-22.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.41 ₱86.6

-17.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.57 ₱96.4

42.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.22 ₱13.45

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱946

$14.45 ₱890

6.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.90 ₱55.5

-10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.25 ₱15.47

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.10 ₱129

25.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.09 ₱66.9

0.92%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$22.0K ₱1.4M

38.54%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

32.09%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$105 ₱6,463

-8.66%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$33.78 ₱2,080

0.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,839

$35.75 ₱2,201

-16.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$41.25 ₱2,539

-19.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$4.34 ₱267

94.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$4.40 ₱271

31.59%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$119 ₱7,315

98.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$7,829 ₱482.0K

-50.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$65.6 ₱4,040

-19.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$29.82 ₱1,836

-24.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,685

$77.8 ₱4,792

-2.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$69.4 ₱4,273

-20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$321 ₱19.8K

58.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$183 ₱11.3K

14.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$816 ₱50.2K

-1.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$361 ₱22.2K

7.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$1,621 ₱99.8K

85.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$1,447 ₱89.1K

34.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$220 ₱13.5K

54.73%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Davao: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $321 in Davao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 55% 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 $24.00 in Davao. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $195, with Davao 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 Davao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Davao is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 55% 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: $508 in Cebu versus $321 in Davao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $873 per month in Cebu versus $835 in Davao – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Davao runs roughly 6% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $835 in Davao versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Davao but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Davao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Davao 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 Davao 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 Davao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.