Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Ozamiz Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Ozamiz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $867 in Cebu versus $772 in Ozamiz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,349 in Cebu versus $1,190 in Ozamiz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,832 in Cebu versus $1,607 in Ozamiz.

Living in Cebu is roughly 12% more expensive than Ozamiz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 36% lower, Ozamiz 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ₱267

$3.46 ₱210

27.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.84 ₱1,448

$17.69 ₱1,074

34.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.50 ₱273

$3.22 ₱196

39.75%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱161

$2.47 ₱150

7.29%

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

$0.80 ₱48.45

$0.82 ₱49.72

-2.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.44

$0.39 ₱23.73

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ₱91.8

$1.30 ₱78.9

16.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱131

$2.08 ₱126

3.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₱135

$1.73 ₱105

28.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ₱92.9

$0.86 ₱52.4

77.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱68.3

$0.89 ₱53.9

25.84%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱140

$1.61 ₱97.9

43.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ₱793

$7.80 ₱474

67.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱327

$4.34 ₱264

23.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 ₱471

$7.80 ₱474

-0.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 ₱220

$2.97 ₱181

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₱91.1

$1.51 ₱91.9

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 ₱207

$2.57 ₱156

33.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱132

$1.56 ₱94.6

39.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 ₱154

$2.25 ₱136

12.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 ₱148

$2.51 ₱152

-2.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱60.8

$1.11 ₱67.5

-9.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.14

$0.77 ₱46.69

2.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₱198

$2.82 ₱171

15.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱383

$7.99 ₱485

-21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱69.7

$1.20 ₱73.1

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₱140

$2.00 ₱121

15.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.03

$0.28 ₱17.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.06 ₱914

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱50.5

$0.81 ₱49.37

2.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱13.85

$0.24 ₱14.65

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 ₱165

$2.14 ₱130

26.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱66.3

$1.13 ₱68.9

-3.54%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$26.3K ₱1.6M

16.13%

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

$27.1K ₱1.6M

$20.4K ₱1.2M

33.17%

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

$97.2 ₱5,900

$111 ₱6,711

-12.08%

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

$34.37 ₱2,087

$33.42 ₱2,029

2.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.15 ₱1,831

$27.57 ₱1,674

9.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.14 ₱2,012

$33.54 ₱2,036

-1.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.25 ₱501

$4.51 ₱274

82.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱355

$5.91 ₱359

-1.18%

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

$228 ₱13.8K

$154 ₱9,343

48.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,923 ₱238.2K

$4,368 ₱265.2K

-10.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ₱3,140

$46.27 ₱2,810

11.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.99 ₱1,396

$26.48 ₱1,608

-13.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 ₱4,567

$75.4 ₱4,580

-0.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 ₱3,422

$53.7 ₱3,262

4.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ₱31.0K

$269 ₱16.4K

89.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.7K

$174 ₱10.5K

20.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$787 ₱47.8K

$578 ₱35.1K

36.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱23.7K

$402 ₱24.4K

-2.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,948 ₱179.0K

$2,251 ₱136.7K

30.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,906 ₱115.7K

$931 ₱56.5K

104.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 ₱23.0K

$194 ₱11.8K

95.11%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Ozamiz: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Cebu and $269 in Ozamiz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 95% 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 Ozamiz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $198 per month, with Ozamiz 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 Ozamiz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ozamiz is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 95% 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: $511 in Cebu versus $269 in Ozamiz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $867 per month in Cebu versus $772 in Ozamiz – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $772 in Ozamiz versus $867 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ozamiz but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Ozamiz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ozamiz 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 Ozamiz 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 Ozamiz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.