Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Marawi Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Marawi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $792 in Marawi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,221 in Marawi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,650 in Marawi.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$3.57 ₱220

21.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$18.00 ₱1,110

34.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.27 ₱202

33.33%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.36 ₱146

8.90%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.78 ₱47.82

7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.37 ₱22.81

16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.35 ₱83.3

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.18 ₱135

-3.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.91 ₱118

15.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.21 ₱74.3

23.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$1.01 ₱62.5

9.90%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.08 ₱128

12.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$7.85 ₱484

65.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$4.36 ₱269

22.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$7.58 ₱467

-1.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$2.87 ₱177

24.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.54 ₱94.9

-5.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$2.60 ₱160

30.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.54 ₱95.2

41.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.33 ₱144

11.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.56 ₱158

-3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.06 ₱65.4

-13.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.73 ₱44.88

8.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$2.90 ₱179

7.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$6.83 ₱421

-4.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.21 ₱74.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.96 ₱121

18.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.26 ₱16.03

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.79 ₱48.45

6.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.22 ₱13.51

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.07 ₱128

29.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.10 ₱67.6

-0.91%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$26.7K ₱1.6M

12.78%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

32.60%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$110 ₱6,807

-13.62%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$32.97 ₱2,033

2.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$27.65 ₱1,705

7.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$33.98 ₱2,095

-3.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.41 ₱272

91.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$5.99 ₱370

-2.50%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$154 ₱9,489

51.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$4,321 ₱266.5K

-9.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$46.60 ₱2,873

14.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$26.51 ₱1,635

-14.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$75.1 ₱4,631

2.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$52.4 ₱3,231

3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$263 ₱16.2K

96.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$176 ₱10.8K

18.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$592 ₱36.5K

35.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$389 ₱24.0K

2.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$2,250 ₱138.7K

31.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$971 ₱59.8K

98.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$295 ₱18.2K

23.47%

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 Marawi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $263 in Marawi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 23% 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 Marawi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $202 per month, with Marawi 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 Marawi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Cebu pays 23% 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 $263 in Marawi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% 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 $792 in Marawi – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $792 in Marawi versus $873 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marawi but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Marawi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Marawi 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 Marawi 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 Marawi 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.