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: $924 in Cebu versus $718 in Pasig.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Cebu versus $1,200 in Pasig.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,905 in Cebu versus $1,682 in Pasig.

Living in Cebu is roughly 29% more expensive than in Pasig, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Pasig 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ₱192

$3.97 ₱249

-22.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 ₱1,453

$25.72 ₱1,613

-9.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₱253

$2.74 ₱172

47.45%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱156

$2.31 ₱145

7.79%

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

$1.52 ₱95.3

$0.66 ₱41.67

130.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.70

$0.31 ₱19.68

58.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₱113

$1.14 ₱71.4

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱144

$2.69 ₱169

-14.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.67 ₱104

14.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.3

$1.16 ₱73.0

19.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$1.03 ₱64.4

-1.94%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱127

$2.07 ₱130

-1.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 ₱619

$5.70 ₱357

73.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱283

$3.37 ₱211

34.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₱476

$7.68 ₱481

-1.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ₱209

$3.20 ₱201

4.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱87.7

$1.56 ₱97.7

-10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$2.96 ₱186

-18.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.1

$1.70 ₱107

-8.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 ₱154

$2.35 ₱147

4.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱120

$2.60 ₱163

-26.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$2.17 ₱136

-43.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.80

$0.55 ₱34.55

12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱180

$2.89 ₱181

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱395

$9.55 ₱599

-34.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.2

$1.35 ₱84.4

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.01 ₱126

-12.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.30

$0.50 ₱31.12

-54.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱794

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.79

$0.77 ₱48.31

-2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.21 ₱13.11

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$1.92 ₱121

125.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.3

$1.14 ₱71.4

10.53%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

0.14%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

2.84%

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

$121 ₱7,586

$123 ₱7,733

-1.91%

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

$15.07 ₱944

$17.58 ₱1,102

-14.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.29 ₱1,711

$23.97 ₱1,503

13.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.26 ₱2,022

$30.49 ₱1,911

5.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₱400

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱353

$6.40 ₱401

-12.03%

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

$281 ₱17.6K

$133 ₱8,318

111.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,117 ₱508.9K

$9,084 ₱569.4K

-10.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 ₱3,074

$34.53 ₱2,165

42.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 ₱1,550

$27.89 ₱1,749

-11.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₱4,886

$72.8 ₱4,563

7.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,656

$54.8 ₱3,437

6.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.5K

$277 ₱17.4K

81.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.2K

$129 ₱8,061

138.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₱68.1K

$520 ₱32.6K

108.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.6K

$477 ₱29.9K

32.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₱179.8K

$3,260 ₱204.3K

-12.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 ₱118.5K

$2,540 ₱159.3K

-25.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$440 ₱27.6K

-21.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.75

6.67%

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

Last update for Cebu: September 7, 2026

Last update for Pasig: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Cebu and $277 in Pasig. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pasig pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Cebu vs $26.00 in Pasig. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $201, 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

Pasig is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% 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: $503 in Cebu versus $277 in Pasig. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $924 per month in Cebu versus $718 in Pasig – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $718 in Pasig versus $924 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pasig but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Pasig the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pasig 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 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.

Expats usually find Pasig gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.