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: $873 in Cebu versus $761 in Legazpi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,173 in Legazpi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,584 in Legazpi.

Living in Cebu is roughly 15% more expensive than in Legazpi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Legazpi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$3.61 ₱222

21.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$23.83 ₱1,467

1.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$3.05 ₱188

48.52%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.18 ₱134

15.60%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.45 ₱27.72

77.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.36 ₱22.46

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.01 ₱62.1

57.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$3.46 ₱213

-36.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.71 ₱105

32.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.31 ₱80.4

15.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$0.92 ₱56.8

26.09%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$2.14 ₱132

10.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$12.22 ₱752

5.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$3.89 ₱239

38.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$7.23 ₱445

8.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$2.98 ₱183

18.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$2.16 ₱133

-30.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$3.65 ₱225

-9.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.78 ₱110

23.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$2.64 ₱163

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$1.80 ₱111

36.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.81 ₱112

-44.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.91 ₱55.9

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$4.37 ₱269

-29.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$8.08 ₱497

-20.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.14 ₱69.9

1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$3.57 ₱220

-37.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.24 ₱14.78

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱946

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.62 ₱38.23

30.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.25 ₱15.36

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.67 ₱165

-1.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.27 ₱78.1

-13.39%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$26.6K ₱1.6M

14.44%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

33.98%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$145 ₱8,938

-33.95%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$23.58 ₱1,452

44.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,839

$35.16 ₱2,165

-15.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$34.16 ₱2,103

-2.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$4.36 ₱268

93.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$5.38 ₱331

7.62%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$70.3 ₱4,327

234.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$4,305 ₱265.0K

-9.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$45.09 ₱2,776

17.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$27.06 ₱1,666

-16.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,685

$71.6 ₱4,410

6.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$70.9 ₱4,362

-22.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$161 ₱9,940

214.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$106 ₱6,532

97.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$384 ₱23.7K

108.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$219 ₱13.5K

77.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$2,478 ₱152.6K

21.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$1,031 ₱63.5K

89.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$275 ₱16.9K

23.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

-20.95%

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

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Legazpi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $161 in Legazpi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 24% 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: $24.00 in Cebu vs $24.00 in Legazpi. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $230, with Legazpi 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 Legazpi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Legazpi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $508 in Cebu versus $161 in Legazpi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $873 per month in Cebu versus $761 in Legazpi – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $761 in Legazpi versus $873 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 15% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.