Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Ligao City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Ligao City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Cebu versus $730 in Ligao City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in Cebu versus $1,098 in Ligao City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,918 in Cebu versus $1,465 in Ligao City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 28% more expensive than in Ligao City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Ligao City 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱193

$3.95 ₱247

-21.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 ₱1,488

$17.11 ₱1,070

39.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 ₱257

$2.75 ₱172

49.09%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$2.15 ₱135

20.93%

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

$1.55 ₱96.9

$0.63 ₱39.16

146.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱33.46

$0.34 ₱21.32

58.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.09 ₱67.9

58.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱137

$1.90 ₱119

15.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱120

$1.62 ₱101

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.1

$1.12 ₱69.9

24.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱60.8

$0.92 ₱57.6

5.43%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱125

$1.89 ₱118

5.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ₱621

$5.25 ₱328

89.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 ₱274

$4.25 ₱266

3.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 ₱463

$6.93 ₱433

6.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱217

$2.28 ₱143

51.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱91.7

$1.59 ₱99.5

-7.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.5

$1.17 ₱73.4

31.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.10 ₱131

12.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱119

$2.04 ₱127

-6.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₱77.3

$0.82 ₱51.4

51.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱41.42

$0.56 ₱35.00

17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$2.80 ₱175

7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ₱380

$8.07 ₱505

-24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.8

$0.93 ₱58.4

40.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.95 ₱122

-11.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.65

$0.23 ₱14.61

8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱796

$10.04 ₱628

26.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.78

$0.80 ₱49.75

-6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.41

$0.23 ₱14.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 ₱288

$1.87 ₱117

145.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₱83.7

$1.12 ₱70.3

19.64%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$23.4K ₱1.5M

-7.11%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$18.0K ₱1.1M

8.15%

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

$121 ₱7,564

$122 ₱7,615

-0.67%

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

$14.86 ₱929

$16.63 ₱1,040

-10.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.84 ₱1,741

$24.57 ₱1,536

13.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.06 ₱2,005

$31.71 ₱1,983

1.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.43 ₱402

$4.92 ₱307

30.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 ₱352

$5.24 ₱328

7.63%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$135 ₱8,438

102.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,017 ₱501.3K

$8,059 ₱503.9K

-0.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.77 ₱3,050

$32.61 ₱2,039

49.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 ₱1,594

$19.35 ₱1,210

31.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 ₱4,884

$71.7 ₱4,481

9.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₱3,616

$56.8 ₱3,553

1.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.3K

$269 ₱16.8K

86.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₱18.7K

$170 ₱10.6K

76.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 ₱68.1K

$501 ₱31.3K

117.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.5K

$346 ₱21.6K

82.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,888 ₱180.6K

$2,586 ₱161.7K

11.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱117.3K

$1,026 ₱64.1K

82.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$274 ₱17.1K

26.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.75

6.67%

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

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ligao City: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $269 in Ligao City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 27% 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 $17.00 in Ligao City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $178 per month, with Ligao City 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 Ligao City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ligao City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% 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: $500 in Cebu versus $269 in Ligao City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $936 per month in Cebu versus $730 in Ligao City – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ligao City runs roughly 27% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $730 in Ligao City versus $936 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ligao City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Ligao City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ligao City 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 Ligao City 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 Ligao City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.