Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Mandaluyong Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Mandaluyong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $924 in Cebu versus $840 in Mandaluyong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Cebu versus $1,407 in Mandaluyong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,905 in Cebu versus $1,973 in Mandaluyong.

Living in Cebu is roughly 10% more expensive than in Mandaluyong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Mandaluyong 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ₱192

$4.81 ₱301

-36.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 ₱1,453

$17.07 ₱1,070

35.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₱253

$3.64 ₱228

10.99%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱156

$2.17 ₱136

14.75%

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

$1.52 ₱95.3

$1.02 ₱63.8

49.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.70

$0.53 ₱32.92

-7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₱113

$1.19 ₱74.8

51.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱144

$2.64 ₱165

-13.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.64 ₱103

17.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.3

$1.35 ₱84.6

2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$0.98 ₱61.2

3.06%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱127

$2.26 ₱142

-10.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 ₱619

$5.09 ₱319

93.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱283

$4.85 ₱304

-6.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₱476

$7.04 ₱441

7.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ₱209

$3.36 ₱211

-0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱87.7

$1.89 ₱118

-25.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$3.05 ₱191

-20.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.1

$1.85 ₱116

-16.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 ₱154

$2.24 ₱140

9.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱120

$2.63 ₱165

-27.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$0.62 ₱39.03

98.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.80

$0.52 ₱32.78

19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱180

$2.96 ₱186

-3.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱395

$8.51 ₱534

-25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.2

$0.92 ₱57.9

41.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.06 ₱129

-15.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.30

$0.37 ₱23.28

-37.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱794

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.79

$0.77 ₱48.07

-2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.25 ₱15.75

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$1.87 ₱117

131.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.3

$1.14 ₱71.6

10.53%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-1.88%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

1.12%

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

$121 ₱7,586

$142 ₱8,886

-14.63%

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

$15.07 ₱944

$17.85 ₱1,119

-15.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.29 ₱1,711

$23.76 ₱1,489

14.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.26 ₱2,022

$31.47 ₱1,973

2.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₱400

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱353

$6.11 ₱383

-7.86%

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

$281 ₱17.6K

$134 ₱8,424

109.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,117 ₱508.9K

$9,110 ₱571.1K

-10.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 ₱3,074

$28.41 ₱1,781

72.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 ₱1,550

$28.01 ₱1,756

-11.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₱4,886

$70.6 ₱4,424

10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,656

$56.8 ₱3,563

2.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.5K

$614 ₱38.5K

-18.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.2K

$238 ₱14.9K

29.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₱68.1K

$1,220 ₱76.5K

-11.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.6K

$711 ₱44.6K

-11.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₱179.8K

$2,800 ₱175.5K

2.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 ₱118.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$548 ₱34.3K

-36.76%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mandaluyong: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Cebu and $614 in Mandaluyong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandaluyong pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Cebu vs $17.00 in Mandaluyong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $199 per month, with Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Mandaluyong. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $503 in Cebu versus $614 in Mandaluyong. 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 $924 per month in Cebu versus $840 in Mandaluyong – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $840 in Mandaluyong versus $924 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaluyong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong 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.