Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Legazpi Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Legazpi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $924 in Cebu versus $679 in Legazpi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Cebu versus $1,021 in Legazpi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,905 in Cebu versus $1,363 in Legazpi.

Living in Cebu is roughly 36% more expensive than in Legazpi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Legazpi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ₱192

$3.10 ₱195

-0.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 ₱1,453

$16.59 ₱1,040

39.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₱253

$2.73 ₱171

47.99%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱156

$1.99 ₱124

25.13%

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

$1.52 ₱95.3

$0.39 ₱24.14

289.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.70

$0.31 ₱19.32

58.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₱113

$1.07 ₱66.8

68.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱144

$2.21 ₱139

3.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.56 ₱98.0

23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.3

$1.19 ₱74.6

16.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$0.86 ₱53.8

17.44%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱127

$1.94 ₱121

4.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 ₱619

$5.53 ₱347

78.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱283

$4.21 ₱264

7.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₱476

$7.19 ₱451

5.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ₱209

$2.33 ₱146

43.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱87.7

$1.54 ₱96.5

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$2.44 ₱153

-1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.1

$1.13 ₱70.7

37.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 ₱154

$2.05 ₱129

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱120

$2.04 ₱128

-6.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$0.76 ₱47.65

61.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.80

$0.56 ₱35.18

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱180

$2.86 ₱179

0.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱395

$8.23 ₱516

-23.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.2

$1.05 ₱65.9

23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.02 ₱126

-13.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.30

$0.20 ₱12.53

15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱794

$10.99 ₱689

15.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.79

$0.78 ₱48.96

-3.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.23 ₱14.35

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$1.88 ₱118

130.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.3

$1.02 ₱64.0

23.53%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

-0.02%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

1.56%

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

$121 ₱7,586

$151 ₱9,458

-19.80%

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

$15.07 ₱944

$15.31 ₱960

-1.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.29 ₱1,711

$32.55 ₱2,040

-16.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.26 ₱2,022

$31.87 ₱1,998

1.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₱400

$4.75 ₱298

34.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱353

$5.33 ₱334

5.63%

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

$281 ₱17.6K

$136 ₱8,505

107.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,117 ₱508.9K

$7,946 ₱498.2K

2.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 ₱3,074

$31.78 ₱1,993

54.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 ₱1,550

$19.64 ₱1,231

25.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₱4,886

$62.9 ₱3,944

23.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,656

$57.1 ₱3,582

2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.5K

$145 ₱9,059

248.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.2K

$96.8 ₱6,066

216.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₱68.1K

$338 ₱21.2K

221.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.6K

$203 ₱12.7K

211.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₱179.8K

$2,573 ₱161.3K

11.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 ₱118.5K

$1,034 ₱64.8K

82.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$270 ₱16.9K

28.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

10.12

-28.85%

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

Last update for Cebu: September 7, 2026

Last update for Legazpi: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Cebu and $145 in Legazpi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 28% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $17.00 in Legazpi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $180 per month, with Legazpi 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 Legazpi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Legazpi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 28% 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: $503 in Cebu versus $145 in Legazpi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $924 per month in Cebu versus $679 in Legazpi – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Legazpi runs roughly 15% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $679 in Legazpi versus $924 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Legazpi but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Legazpi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Legazpi 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 Legazpi 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 Legazpi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.