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: $873 in Cebu versus $763 in Ligao City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,207 in Ligao City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,651 in Ligao City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 14% more expensive than Ligao City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$3.53 ₱218

22.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$18.05 ₱1,113

33.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.29 ₱203

32.52%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.40 ₱148

7.08%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.78 ₱48.05

7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.40 ₱24.59

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.31 ₱80.7

16.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.08 ₱128

1.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.89 ₱117

16.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.22 ₱75.3

22.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$0.94 ₱58.0

18.09%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$1.99 ₱123

17.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$8.12 ₱501

60.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$4.23 ₱261

26.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$7.52 ₱463

-0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$2.98 ₱184

19.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.58 ₱97.4

-8.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$2.72 ₱168

24.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.54 ₱94.8

41.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.32 ₱143

11.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.50 ₱154

-0.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.10 ₱68.1

-16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.72 ₱44.68

9.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$2.80 ₱173

11.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$8.11 ₱500

-19.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.20 ₱73.8

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.99 ₱123

16.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.28 ₱17.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.77 ₱47.20

9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.24 ₱14.87

4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.08 ₱128

29.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.14 ₱70.6

-4.39%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

13.39%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$20.3K ₱1.3M

32.91%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$111 ₱6,864

-14.33%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$32.80 ₱2,022

3.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$27.10 ₱1,671

9.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$34.11 ₱2,104

-3.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.51 ₱278

86.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$5.86 ₱361

-0.34%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$153 ₱9,411

52.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$4,345 ₱267.9K

-10.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$46.16 ₱2,846

15.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$26.66 ₱1,644

-14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$74.4 ₱4,585

3.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$53.2 ₱3,278

2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$270 ₱16.6K

90.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$177 ₱10.9K

17.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$588 ₱36.3K

36.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$390 ₱24.1K

1.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$2,432 ₱150.0K

21.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$960 ₱59.2K

100.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$286 ₱17.6K

27.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

19.94%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ligao City: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $270 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 $18.00 in Ligao City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $205 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 27% more on average, 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: $515 in Cebu versus $270 in Ligao City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% 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 $763 in Ligao City – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $763 in Ligao City versus $873 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 14% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.