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: $873 in Cebu versus $836 in Mandaluyong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,310 in Mandaluyong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,785 in Mandaluyong.

Living in Cebu is roughly 4% more expensive than in Mandaluyong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Mandaluyong 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$5.33 ₱328

-17.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$18.08 ₱1,113

34.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$3.39 ₱209

33.63%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.38 ₱146

5.88%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.97 ₱59.5

-17.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.50 ₱30.54

-16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.50 ₱92.2

6.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.69 ₱166

-18.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.84 ₱113

22.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.41 ₱86.6

7.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$1.07 ₱66.0

8.41%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$2.21 ₱136

6.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$9.34 ₱575

37.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$5.28 ₱325

1.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$8.42 ₱519

-7.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$3.40 ₱209

3.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.86 ₱115

-18.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$3.46 ₱213

-4.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$2.42 ₱149

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$2.70 ₱166

-2.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$3.16 ₱195

-22.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$0.71 ₱43.99

40.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.65 ₱40.32

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$3.24 ₱199

-4.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$8.67 ₱534

-25.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.44 ₱88.5

-19.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.11 ₱130

6.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.33 ₱20.50

-21.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱945

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.85 ₱52.5

-4.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.27 ₱16.79

-14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.17 ₱134

21.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.15 ₱71.0

-4.35%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

15.15%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

34.49%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$138 ₱8,484

-30.41%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$34.22 ₱2,107

-0.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,838

$26.61 ₱1,638

12.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$33.84 ₱2,083

-1.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$4.33 ₱267

95.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$6.61 ₱407

-12.41%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$150 ₱9,248

56.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$4,775 ₱294.0K

-18.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$46.68 ₱2,874

13.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$34.39 ₱2,117

-34.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,684

$74.6 ₱4,595

1.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$45.83 ₱2,821

19.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$541 ₱33.3K

-6.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$174 ₱10.7K

20.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$593 ₱36.5K

34.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$387 ₱23.8K

0.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$2,894 ₱178.2K

4.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$603 ₱37.2K

-43.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

77.78%

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

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mandaluyong: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $541 in Mandaluyong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandaluyong pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $18.00 in Mandaluyong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $233 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 78% 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: $508 in Cebu versus $541 in Mandaluyong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% 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 $836 in Mandaluyong – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $836 in Mandaluyong versus $873 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 4% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.