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: $936 in Cebu versus $1,156 in Las Terrenas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in Cebu versus $2,539 in Las Terrenas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,918 in Cebu versus $3,922 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 32% lower, Las Terrenas 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱193

$8.29 DOP 485

-62.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 ₱1,488

$42.26 DOP 2,475

-43.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 ₱257

$7.00 DOP 410

-41.43%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$1.82 DOP 107

42.86%

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

$1.55 ₱96.9

$0.70 DOP 40.98

121.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱33.46

$0.39 DOP 22.70

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 ₱108

$2.51 DOP 147

-31.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱137

$4.09 DOP 239

-46.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱120

$1.24 DOP 72.9

54.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.1

$1.76 DOP 103

-21.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱60.8

$1.55 DOP 91.0

-37.42%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱125

$1.55 DOP 90.9

29.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ₱621

$6.47 DOP 379

53.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 ₱274

$3.66 DOP 214

19.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 ₱463

$4.98 DOP 292

48.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱217

$3.70 DOP 217

-6.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱91.7

$1.49 DOP 87.3

-1.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$3.39 DOP 198

-28.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.5

$2.20 DOP 129

-30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$3.71 DOP 217

-36.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱119

$3.03 DOP 178

-36.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₱77.3

$0.97 DOP 57.1

27.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱41.42

$1.69 DOP 99.0

-60.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$4.95 DOP 290

-39.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ₱380

$17.14 DOP 1,004

-64.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.8

$3.13 DOP 183

-58.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$3.50 DOP 205

-50.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.78

$2.58 DOP 151

-70.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.41

$3.45 DOP 202

-93.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 ₱288

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₱83.7

$1.28 DOP 75.0

4.69%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$15.0K DOP 876.8K

45.42%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

-25.99%

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

$121 ₱7,564

$95.4 DOP 5,588

26.74%

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

$14.86 ₱929

$27.35 DOP 1,601

-45.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.84 ₱1,741

$39.62 DOP 2,320

-29.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.06 ₱2,005

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.43 ₱402

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 ₱352

$4.98 DOP 291

13.25%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$155 DOP 9,066

76.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,017 ₱501.3K

$5,526 DOP 323.5K

45.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.77 ₱3,050

$27.43 DOP 1,606

77.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 ₱1,594

$47.07 DOP 2,756

-45.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 ₱4,884

$64.1 DOP 3,752

21.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₱3,616

$66.6 DOP 3,899

-13.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.3K

$1,034 DOP 60.6K

-51.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₱18.7K

$508 DOP 29.7K

-40.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 ₱68.1K

$2,033 DOP 119.0K

-46.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.5K

$2,407 DOP 140.9K

-73.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,888 ₱180.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱117.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

-34.55%

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

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Las Terrenas: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $1,034 in Las Terrenas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $42.00 in Las Terrenas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $245 per month, with Cebu 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 Las Terrenas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,404 in Cebu and $1,733 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: $500 in Cebu versus $1,034 in Las Terrenas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Las Terrenas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $936 per month in Cebu versus $1,156 in Las Terrenas – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $936 in Cebu versus $1,156 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 23% less than in Las Terrenas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.