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 $1,102 in Las Terrenas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,634 in Las Terrenas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $2,167 in Las Terrenas.

Living in Cebu costs roughly 21% less than in Las Terrenas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Las Terrenas 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$6.45 DOP 376

-31.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$47.63 DOP 2,777

-48.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$7.31 DOP 426

-38.03%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.05 DOP 120

22.93%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$1.04 DOP 60.6

-23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.84 DOP 48.76

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$2.53 DOP 148

-37.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$5.13 DOP 299

-57.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.26 DOP 73.2

79.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.44 DOP 84.2

4.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$1.22 DOP 71.1

-4.92%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$1.75 DOP 102

34.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$7.24 DOP 422

77.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$6.35 DOP 370

-15.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$11.17 DOP 651

-29.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$2.49 DOP 145

41.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$0.93 DOP 54.0

62.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.16 DOP 67.5

183.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.17 DOP 68.5

88.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$1.22 DOP 71.2

116.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$2.29 DOP 133

7.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$0.88 DOP 51.6

13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.52 DOP 30.55

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$5.02 DOP 293

-38.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$16.71 DOP 975

-61.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$2.34 DOP 137

-50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.43 DOP 142

-7.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$1.66 DOP 96.7

-84.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱945

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$3.36 DOP 196

-75.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$2.10 DOP 122

-89.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$5.79 DOP 338

-54.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.25 DOP 72.9

-12.00%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

16.89%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$32.0K DOP 1.9M

-13.35%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$77.7 DOP 4,529

23.46%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$22.73 DOP 1,326

49.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,838

$36.30 DOP 2,117

-17.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$21.10 DOP 1,230

57.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$17.21 DOP 1,003

-50.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$6.85 DOP 399

-15.47%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$83.8 DOP 4,883

181.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$4,724 DOP 275.5K

-17.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$42.40 DOP 2,472

25.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$42.10 DOP 2,455

-46.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,684

$70.5 DOP 4,108

8.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$84.4 DOP 4,918

-34.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$771 DOP 45.0K

-34.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$460 DOP 26.9K

-54.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$1,442 DOP 84.1K

-44.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$686 DOP 40.0K

-43.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Las Terrenas: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $771 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 $241 vs $222, 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 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,310 in Cebu and $1,653 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: $508 in Cebu versus $771 in Las Terrenas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Las Terrenas pay roughly 8% 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 $1,102 in Las Terrenas – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $873 in Cebu versus $1,102 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 26% less than in Las Terrenas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.