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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Cebu versus $798 in Laoag City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,352 in Cebu versus $1,205 in Laoag City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Cebu versus $1,612 in Laoag City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 9% more expensive than Laoag City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Laoag City 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ₱272

$3.57 ₱215

26.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.52 ₱1,477

$15.35 ₱925

59.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ₱274

$3.23 ₱195

40.87%

Cappuccino

$2.55 ₱154

$2.35 ₱142

8.51%

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

$0.86 ₱51.8

$0.79 ₱47.51

8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.33

$0.40 ₱23.96

5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ₱91.2

$1.30 ₱78.2

16.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱129

$2.17 ₱131

-1.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₱140

$1.84 ₱111

26.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ₱91.3

$1.21 ₱72.9

25.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱67.3

$0.98 ₱59.3

14.29%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱139

$2.33 ₱140

-0.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 ₱765

$7.96 ₱479

59.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 ₱313

$7.83 ₱471

-33.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 ₱474

$7.93 ₱478

-0.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 ₱210

$2.84 ₱171

22.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱87.4

$1.58 ₱95.2

-8.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 ₱197

$2.59 ₱156

26.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱132

$1.60 ₱96.4

37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 ₱155

$2.21 ₱133

16.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 ₱156

$2.55 ₱154

1.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ₱56.2

$1.11 ₱66.8

-16.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱47.47

$0.73 ₱43.76

8.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱191

$3.13 ₱188

1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 ₱388

$8.27 ₱498

-22.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱72.1

$0.96 ₱57.5

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₱142

$1.96 ₱118

19.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.04

$0.26 ₱15.58

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.34 ₱924

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱52.6

$0.77 ₱46.13

12.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.16

$0.26 ₱15.72

-3.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱162

$2.18 ₱131

23.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱66.1

$1.07 ₱64.7

2.80%

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

$30.2K ₱1.8M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

14.31%

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

$26.9K ₱1.6M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

29.30%

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

$98.3 ₱5,922

$113 ₱6,829

-13.27%

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

$34.89 ₱2,101

$33.05 ₱1,990

5.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.76 ₱1,793

$26.20 ₱1,578

13.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.66 ₱1,967

$14.93 ₱899

118.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱507

$4.34 ₱261

94.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 ₱362

$5.77 ₱348

4.16%

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

$235 ₱14.2K

$154 ₱9,252

53.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,936 ₱237.0K

$4,369 ₱263.1K

-9.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 ₱3,109

$45.16 ₱2,720

14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.19 ₱1,397

$26.99 ₱1,626

-14.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ₱4,477

$76.6 ₱4,612

-2.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.7 ₱3,355

$52.4 ₱3,157

6.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 ₱30.0K

$270 ₱16.3K

84.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.7K

$207 ₱12.5K

1.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 ₱47.2K

$431 ₱25.9K

81.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 ₱23.3K

$390 ₱23.5K

-0.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 ₱186.4K

$2,423 ₱145.9K

27.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,981 ₱119.3K

$933 ₱56.2K

112.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$373 ₱22.5K

$168 ₱10.1K

122.76%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Cebu and $270 in Laoag City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 123% 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: $25.00 in Cebu vs $15.00 in Laoag City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $223 per month, with Laoag 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 Laoag City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Laoag City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 123% 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: $498 in Cebu versus $270 in Laoag City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $869 per month in Cebu versus $798 in Laoag City – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $798 in Laoag City versus $869 in Cebu, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Laoag City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Laoag City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Laoag 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 Laoag 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 Laoag City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.