Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Dumaguete Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Dumaguete

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $852 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,330 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,807 in Dumaguete.

Living in Cebu is roughly 2% more expensive than in Dumaguete, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Dumaguete 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$3.25 ₱200

35.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$14.16 ₱872

71.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$4.47 ₱275

1.34%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.33 ₱143

8.15%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.72 ₱44.34

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.36 ₱22.41

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.08 ₱66.4

47.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.08 ₱128

5.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.73 ₱107

30.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.47 ₱90.3

2.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$1.02 ₱63.0

13.73%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$2.00 ₱123

18.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$9.83 ₱605

30.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$5.11 ₱314

5.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$7.69 ₱474

1.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$1.81 ₱112

95.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.38 ₱84.8

9.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$3.97 ₱244

-17.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.39 ₱85.4

58.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$2.38 ₱146

10.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$2.52 ₱155

-2.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$0.92 ₱56.8

8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.64 ₱39.51

21.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$2.72 ₱167

13.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$8.00 ₱493

-19.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.21 ₱74.6

-4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.96 ₱120

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.47 ₱28.78

-44.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱946

$8.96 ₱552

71.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.83 ₱50.9

-2.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.27 ₱16.79

-14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$0.91 ₱56.3

190.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.15 ₱70.6

-4.35%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$23.0K ₱1.4M

32.46%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$39.3K ₱2.4M

-29.42%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$72.3 ₱4,451

32.63%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$45.08 ₱2,775

-24.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,839

$29.31 ₱1,804

1.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$23.57 ₱1,451

41.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$3.50 ₱215

141.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$6.21 ₱383

-6.76%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$71.3 ₱4,391

230.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$1,875 ₱115.4K

108.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$107 ₱6,588

-50.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$35.68 ₱2,197

-36.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,685

$112 ₱6,908

-32.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$84.7 ₱5,214

-35.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$239 ₱14.7K

112.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$209 ₱12.9K

0.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$430 ₱26.5K

86.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$421 ₱25.9K

-7.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$3,056 ₱188.1K

-1.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$702 ₱43.2K

177.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$292 ₱18.0K

16.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

23.08%

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

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $239 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 17% 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 $14.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $212 per month, with Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dumaguete is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% 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 $239 in Dumaguete. 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 $852 in Dumaguete – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 71% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $852 in Dumaguete versus $873 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dumaguete but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Dumaguete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.