Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Las Terrenas Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Las Terrenas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $1,079 in Las Terrenas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,617 in Las Terrenas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $2,155 in Las Terrenas.

Living in Cebu costs roughly 19% less than in Las Terrenas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Las Terrenas 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$6.66 DOP 389

-34.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$47.83 DOP 2,790

-49.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$7.36 DOP 430

-40.76%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.16 DOP 126

18.98%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$1.04 DOP 60.5

-19.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.85 DOP 49.60

-49.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$2.51 DOP 147

-39.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$5.16 DOP 301

-59.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.29 DOP 75.4

71.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.40 DOP 81.7

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$1.17 DOP 68.0

-5.13%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$1.75 DOP 102

33.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$6.93 DOP 404

88.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$6.45 DOP 377

-17.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$11.11 DOP 648

-32.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$2.60 DOP 152

37.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$0.91 DOP 53.2

59.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$1.18 DOP 68.7

187.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.20 DOP 70.2

81.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$1.17 DOP 68.1

121.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.41 DOP 141

2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$0.82 DOP 47.79

12.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.50 DOP 29.04

58.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$5.11 DOP 298

-39.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$10.55 DOP 615

-38.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$2.34 DOP 136

-48.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.42 DOP 141

-4.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$1.68 DOP 98.0

-83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$3.35 DOP 195

-74.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$2.15 DOP 125

-88.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$5.85 DOP 341

-54.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.31 DOP 76.2

-16.79%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

12.42%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$32.2K DOP 1.9M

-16.07%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$75.7 DOP 4,417

25.92%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$22.53 DOP 1,314

50.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$36.62 DOP 2,136

-18.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$21.09 DOP 1,230

56.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$16.71 DOP 975

-49.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$6.93 DOP 404

-15.73%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$83.8 DOP 4,887

177.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$4,714 DOP 275.0K

-17.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$42.97 DOP 2,507

24.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$42.51 DOP 2,480

-46.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$71.0 DOP 4,144

7.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$85.3 DOP 4,973

-36.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$775 DOP 45.2K

-33.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$463 DOP 27.0K

-54.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$1,437 DOP 83.8K

-43.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$674 DOP 39.3K

-41.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

-37.98%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Las Terrenas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $775 in Las Terrenas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $48.00 in Las Terrenas. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $209, with Las Terrenas 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 Las Terrenas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,309 in Cebu and $1,619 in Las Terrenas to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Cebu versus $775 in Las Terrenas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Las Terrenas pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $873 per month in Cebu versus $1,079 in Las Terrenas – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $873 in Cebu versus $1,079 in Las Terrenas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Las Terrenas. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Las Terrenas, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Las Terrenas 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Las Terrenas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.