Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Iligan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Iligan City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $773 in Iligan City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,212 in Iligan City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,652 in Iligan City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 13% more expensive than Iligan City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Iligan City 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$3.63 ₱224

19.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$17.83 ₱1,099

35.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.33 ₱206

30.93%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.42 ₱149

6.20%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.82 ₱50.6

2.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.37 ₱22.52

16.22%

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

$2.17 ₱134

-2.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$2.29 ₱141

-3.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.26 ₱77.8

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$0.95 ₱58.8

16.84%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$1.99 ₱123

17.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$8.06 ₱497

61.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$4.78 ₱294

11.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$7.62 ₱470

-1.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$2.84 ₱175

25.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.57 ₱97.1

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$2.61 ₱161

29.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.55 ₱95.8

40.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.30 ₱142

12.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.61 ₱161

-4.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.07 ₱66.2

-14.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.71 ₱43.75

11.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$2.86 ₱176

8.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$7.81 ₱481

-16.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.16 ₱71.6

4.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.06 ₱127

12.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.28 ₱17.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.82 ₱50.7

2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.24 ₱14.89

4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.11 ₱130

27.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.15 ₱70.9

-5.22%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$26.6K ₱1.6M

13.27%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

32.27%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$111 ₱6,842

-14.06%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$32.75 ₱2,020

3.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$27.09 ₱1,670

9.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$34.33 ₱2,117

-4.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.36 ₱269

93.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$5.91 ₱364

-1.18%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$149 ₱9,166

56.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$4,288 ₱264.4K

-9.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$45.70 ₱2,818

17.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$26.21 ₱1,616

-13.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$75.2 ₱4,637

1.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$52.4 ₱3,228

4.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$268 ₱16.5K

92.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$175 ₱10.8K

19.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$583 ₱36.0K

37.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$388 ₱23.9K

2.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$2,395 ₱147.7K

23.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$1,077 ₱66.4K

78.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$202 ₱12.4K

80.52%

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 Iligan City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $268 in Iligan City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 81% 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 $18.00 in Iligan City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $211 per month, with Iligan City 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 Iligan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iligan City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 81% 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 $268 in Iligan City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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 $773 in Iligan City – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $773 in Iligan City versus $873 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iligan City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Iligan City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Iligan City 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 Iligan City 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 Iligan City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.