Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Naga Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Naga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $931 in Cebu versus $549 in Naga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,439 in Cebu versus $862 in Naga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,947 in Cebu versus $1,175 in Naga.

Living in Cebu is roughly 69% more expensive than in Naga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Naga 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ₱191

$5.07 ₱318

-39.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.09 ₱1,448

$13.27 ₱833

74.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.03 ₱253

$2.72 ₱171

48.16%

Cappuccino

$2.58 ₱162

$2.66 ₱167

-3.01%

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

$1.53 ₱95.9

$0.75 ₱47.22

104.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.31

$0.25 ₱15.72

112.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 ₱107

$1.33 ₱83.3

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₱143

$3.19 ₱200

-28.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₱118

$1.88 ₱118

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ₱84.0

$0.79 ₱49.77

69.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.1

$0.83 ₱52.3

22.89%

Eggs

$1.96 ₱123

$1.69 ₱106

15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ₱623

$10.17 ₱638

-2.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 ₱287

$4.12 ₱258

11.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 ₱467

$7.19 ₱451

3.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱217

$1.94 ₱122

78.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

$1.66 ₱104

-12.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₱150

$2.34 ₱147

2.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.4

$2.33 ₱146

-33.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$2.56 ₱160

-9.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ₱118

$2.33 ₱146

-19.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱77.1

$4.90 ₱307

-74.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱39.10

$0.61 ₱38.55

1.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 ₱189

$2.91 ₱183

3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.13 ₱385

$3.79 ₱238

61.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱81.1

$1.61 ₱101

-19.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₱107

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.35 ₱775

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.72

$0.58 ₱36.39

36.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 ₱276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.1

$1.13 ₱71.0

15.93%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

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

$122 ₱7,681

$99.1 ₱6,215

23.58%

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

$15.08 ₱946

$24.16 ₱1,516

-37.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.10 ₱1,762

$26.88 ₱1,686

4.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.67 ₱1,987

$8.14 ₱510

289.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱417

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱339

$4.74 ₱297

13.92%

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

$278 ₱17.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,849 ₱492.3K

$8,005 ₱502.1K

-1.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 ₱3,023

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 ₱1,588

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 ₱4,782

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 ₱3,643

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 ₱30.7K

$157 ₱9,870

210.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.3K

$87.2 ₱5,469

252.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₱67.4K

$251 ₱15.7K

328.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ₱39.9K

$194 ₱12.2K

227.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 ₱180.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,912 ₱119.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$335 ₱21.0K

$143 ₱8,994

133.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: September 13, 2026

Last update for Naga: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $489 in Cebu and $157 in Naga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 133% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $13.00 in Naga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $205 per month, with Naga 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 Naga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Naga is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 133% higher in Cebu, 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: $489 in Cebu versus $157 in Naga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Naga – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $23.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Naga gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Naga 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 Naga 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 Naga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.