Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Imus Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Imus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $743 in Imus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,120 in Imus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,498 in Imus.

Living in Cebu is roughly 18% more expensive than in Imus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Imus 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$4.31 ₱265

1.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$21.55 ₱1,326

12.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$3.08 ₱189

47.08%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.99 ₱184

-15.72%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.82 ₱50.5

-2.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.38 ₱23.19

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.22 ₱75.3

30.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.68 ₱165

-18.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$2.15 ₱133

5.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.22 ₱74.8

23.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$0.98 ₱60.5

18.37%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$2.00 ₱123

18.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$7.06 ₱435

82.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$4.36 ₱269

23.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$7.16 ₱441

9.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$2.36 ₱145

49.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.60 ₱98.3

-5.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.92 ₱180

12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.68 ₱104

30.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$1.72 ₱106

53.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$3.44 ₱211

-28.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.57 ₱97.0

-36.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.87 ₱53.6

-10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$3.25 ₱200

-4.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$8.78 ₱541

-26.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.33 ₱82.1

-12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.03 ₱125

10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.42 ₱25.77

-38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱946

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.78 ₱47.91

3.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.22 ₱13.52

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.17 ₱133

21.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.16 ₱71.5

-5.17%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$25.2K ₱1.6M

20.81%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$17.6K ₱1.1M

57.27%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$128 ₱7,860

-24.89%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$32.59 ₱2,006

4.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,839

$26.47 ₱1,630

12.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$34.25 ₱2,108

-2.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$4.56 ₱281

85.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$7.03 ₱433

-17.64%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$82.8 ₱5,095

184.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$4,340 ₱267.2K

-9.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$32.19 ₱1,982

65.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$29.90 ₱1,841

-24.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,685

$69.2 ₱4,259

9.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$95.2 ₱5,858

-42.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$135 ₱8,336

275.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$109 ₱6,690

92.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$226 ₱13.9K

254.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$185 ₱11.4K

110.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$2,146 ₱132.1K

40.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$895 ₱55.1K

117.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$176 ₱10.8K

92.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

29.66%

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

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Imus: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $135 in Imus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 93% 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 $22.00 in Imus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $209 per month, with Imus 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 Imus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Imus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 93% 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 $135 in Imus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% 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 $743 in Imus – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $743 in Imus versus $873 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Imus but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Imus the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Imus 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 Imus 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 Imus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.