Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Mambajao Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Mambajao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $632 in Mambajao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,001 in Mambajao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,370 in Mambajao.

Living in Cebu is roughly 38% more expensive than Mambajao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Mambajao 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$1.55 ₱95.6

179.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$26.49 ₱1,634

-8.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$4.41 ₱272

-1.13%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$3.04 ₱187

-15.46%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$1.41 ₱86.9

-40.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.77 ₱47.77

-44.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.12 ₱69.2

36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.72 ₱168

-22.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.33 ₱82.0

66.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$0.91 ₱55.9

64.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$0.88 ₱54.1

26.14%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$1.41 ₱87.0

65.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$7.94 ₱490

64.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$4.21 ₱260

27.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$6.56 ₱405

14.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$2.98 ₱184

19.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.35 ₱83.0

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$2.71 ₱167

25.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.59 ₱98.3

37.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.39 ₱147

8.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.60 ₱161

-4.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.12 ₱68.9

-17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.72 ₱44.64

9.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$2.91 ₱180

6.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$8.16 ₱503

-20.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.07 ₱66.2

13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.30 ₱80.3

78.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.20 ₱12.31

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.82 ₱50.4

2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.22 ₱13.52

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.17 ₱134

23.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.41 ₱86.8

-22.70%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$27.1K ₱1.7M

11.09%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

33.77%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$84.0 ₱5,181

13.48%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$32.13 ₱1,981

5.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$22.09 ₱1,362

34.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$33.64 ₱2,074

-2.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.49 ₱277

87.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$5.87 ₱362

-0.51%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$150 ₱9,227

55.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$4,285 ₱264.2K

-9.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$45.28 ₱2,792

18.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$26.22 ₱1,617

-13.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$75.4 ₱4,648

1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$53.3 ₱3,284

2.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$132 ₱8,138

290.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$87.0 ₱5,363

139.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$293 ₱18.1K

174.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$191 ₱11.8K

107.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$2,460 ₱151.7K

20.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$885 ₱54.6K

117.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$154 ₱9,498

136.50%

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 Mambajao: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $132 in Mambajao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 136% 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 $26.00 in Mambajao. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $188, with Mambajao 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 Mambajao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mambajao is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 136% 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 $132 in Mambajao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% 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 $632 in Mambajao – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $632 in Mambajao versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mambajao but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Mambajao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mambajao 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 Mambajao 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 Mambajao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.