Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Pasig Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Pasig

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $876 in Pasig.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,408 in Pasig.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,940 in Pasig.

Monthly costs are close between Cebu and Pasig; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Pasig 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$4.44 ₱274

-1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$27.08 ₱1,667

-10.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$3.35 ₱206

35.22%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.63 ₱162

-4.18%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.64 ₱39.68

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.38 ₱23.34

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.55 ₱95.5

2.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.61 ₱160

-16.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.91 ₱118

18.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.34 ₱82.3

12.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$1.08 ₱66.2

7.41%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$2.21 ₱136

6.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$9.29 ₱572

38.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$4.19 ₱258

28.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$8.79 ₱541

-11.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$3.48 ₱214

1.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.85 ₱114

-18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$3.63 ₱223

-9.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.79 ₱110

22.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$2.68 ₱165

-1.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$3.04 ₱187

-19.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.99 ₱122

-49.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.71 ₱43.88

9.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$3.22 ₱198

-3.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$9.96 ₱613

-35.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.46 ₱89.6

-20.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.11 ₱130

6.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.26 ₱15.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱945

$6.22 ₱383

146.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.92 ₱56.5

-11.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.22 ₱13.48

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.18 ₱134

21.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.11 ₱68.3

-0.90%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

16.30%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

33.49%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$136 ₱8,347

-29.27%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$34.64 ₱2,133

-1.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,838

$27.11 ₱1,669

10.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$33.86 ₱2,084

-1.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$4.33 ₱267

95.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$6.56 ₱404

-11.74%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$154 ₱9,458

53.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$4,791 ₱294.9K

-18.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$47.88 ₱2,948

10.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$35.33 ₱2,175

-35.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,684

$75.0 ₱4,615

1.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$47.14 ₱2,902

16.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$355 ₱21.9K

43.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$199 ₱12.3K

5.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$596 ₱36.7K

34.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$509 ₱31.3K

-23.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$3,342 ₱205.8K

-9.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$2,594 ₱159.7K

-24.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$453 ₱27.9K

-25.01%

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 Pasig: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $355 in Pasig. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pasig pays 33% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $27.00 in Pasig. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $235, with Pasig cheaper for home cooking.

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 Pasig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 33% lower in Pasig. 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 $355 in Pasig. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 147% less than in Pasig. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Pasig pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $873 in Cebu versus $876 in Pasig, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Pasig. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pasig, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Pasig are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Cebu wins on affordability, Pasig on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.