Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Puerto Galera Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Puerto Galera

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $881 in Puerto Galera.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,347 in Puerto Galera.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,813 in Puerto Galera.

Living in Cebu costs roughly 1% less than in Puerto Galera, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$4.91 ₱303

-11.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$21.69 ₱1,337

11.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.16 ₱195

37.97%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.85 ₱176

-9.82%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.92 ₱56.8

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.38 ₱23.26

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.22 ₱75.3

25.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.59 ₱160

-18.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$2.14 ₱132

3.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.21 ₱74.7

23.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$1.06 ₱65.3

4.72%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$1.96 ₱121

18.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$7.04 ₱434

85.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$4.17 ₱257

28.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$7.22 ₱445

3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$4.47 ₱275

-20.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.52 ₱94.0

-4.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$2.86 ₱177

18.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.63 ₱100

33.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.80 ₱173

-7.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$4.13 ₱255

-39.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.58 ₱97.6

-41.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$1.00 ₱61.9

-21.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$3.27 ₱201

-4.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$7.49 ₱462

-12.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.60 ₱98.7

-24.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.01 ₱124

15.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.28 ₱17.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.77 ₱47.28

9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.27 ₱16.77

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.17 ₱134

23.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.15 ₱70.6

-5.22%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$26.0K ₱1.6M

15.71%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$20.0K ₱1.2M

34.65%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$165 ₱10.1K

-42.04%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$33.34 ₱2,056

1.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$30.06 ₱1,854

-0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$33.34 ₱2,056

-1.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.39 ₱271

92.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$7.17 ₱442

-18.55%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$81.9 ₱5,048

184.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$2,775 ₱171.1K

40.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$31.89 ₱1,966

67.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$29.78 ₱1,836

-23.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$96.4 ₱5,942

-20.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$95.4 ₱5,883

-42.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$271 ₱16.7K

89.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$174 ₱10.7K

19.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$587 ₱36.2K

37.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$394 ₱24.3K

0.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$2,176 ₱134.2K

35.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$896 ₱55.3K

114.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

-1.60%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Puerto Galera: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $271 in Puerto Galera. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $22.00 in Puerto Galera for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $222 per month, with Puerto Galera 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 Puerto Galera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,309 in Cebu and $1,321 in Puerto Galera to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Cebu versus $271 in Puerto Galera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Puerto Galera pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $873 per month in Cebu versus $881 in Puerto Galera – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $873 in Cebu versus $881 in Puerto Galera, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Puerto Galera. 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 Puerto Galera, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Puerto Galera 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Puerto Galera. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.