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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $791 in Maasin City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,249 in Maasin City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,708 in Maasin City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 10% more expensive than Maasin City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Maasin City 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$4.44 ₱274

-2.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$24.06 ₱1,484

0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$4.48 ₱276

-2.68%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.53 ₱156

1.58%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.78 ₱48.06

7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.45 ₱27.92

-4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.57 ₱96.7

-2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.14 ₱132

-1.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$2.13 ₱132

3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$0.91 ₱56.4

64.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$0.94 ₱57.9

18.09%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.07 ₱128

12.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$13.09 ₱807

-0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$5.16 ₱318

3.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$7.51 ₱463

-0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$1.79 ₱111

99.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$0.68 ₱41.67

113.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$1.74 ₱107

94.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$2.21 ₱136

-1.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.64 ₱163

-1.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.46 ₱152

0.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$0.97 ₱60.1

-5.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.79 ₱48.53

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$3.23 ₱199

-3.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$6.49 ₱400

0.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.21 ₱74.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.31 ₱142

0.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.28 ₱17.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.81 ₱50.3

3.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.23 ₱14.17

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.61 ₱161

3.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.09 ₱67.4

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$30.3K ₱1.9M

-0.59%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

0.01%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$97.3 ₱6,002

-2.03%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$34.36 ₱2,119

-1.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$29.35 ₱1,810

1.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$34.45 ₱2,125

-4.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.48 ₱276

88.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$5.96 ₱368

-2.01%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$227 ₱14.0K

2.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$3,943 ₱243.1K

-1.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$45.63 ₱2,814

17.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$23.46 ₱1,446

-3.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$77.2 ₱4,759

-0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$56.3 ₱3,473

-3.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$267 ₱16.5K

92.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$173 ₱10.7K

20.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$592 ₱36.5K

35.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

-0.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$2,802 ₱172.8K

5.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$1,091 ₱67.3K

76.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$132 ₱8,129

176.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Maasin City: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $267 in Maasin City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 176% 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 Maasin City. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $211, with Maasin City 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 Maasin City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maasin City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 176% 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 $267 in Maasin City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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 $791 in Maasin City – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $791 in Maasin City versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maasin City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Maasin City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maasin 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 Maasin 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 Maasin City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.