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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $819 in Puerto Princesa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,172 in Puerto Princesa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,526 in Puerto Princesa.

Living in Cebu is roughly 7% more expensive than in Puerto Princesa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Puerto Princesa 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$4.13 ₱254

6.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$26.50 ₱1,632

-8.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$4.38 ₱269

3.42%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.42 ₱149

4.13%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.63 ₱38.66

26.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.39 ₱23.79

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.27 ₱78.1

25.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$1.75 ₱108

25.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.59 ₱97.8

42.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.14 ₱70.1

32.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$0.85 ₱52.5

36.47%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$1.87 ₱115

26.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$9.03 ₱556

42.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$4.94 ₱304

8.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$6.31 ₱389

23.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$3.58 ₱220

-1.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$0.99 ₱61.1

52.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$3.52 ₱217

-6.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$0.93 ₱57.2

136.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$1.81 ₱112

45.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$1.32 ₱81.2

86.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.08 ₱66.7

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.78 ₱47.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$7.11 ₱438

-9.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.07 ₱66.1

8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.79 ₱110

25.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱945

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$1.78 ₱110

-54.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.22 ₱13.47

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.17 ₱134

21.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.17 ₱71.9

-5.98%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$14.1K ₱865.5K

116.73%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

34.08%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$121 ₱7,454

-20.80%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$13.75 ₱847

147.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,838

$33.59 ₱2,068

-11.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$26.78 ₱1,649

24.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$4.35 ₱268

94.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$5.45 ₱335

6.24%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$63.0 ₱3,878

273.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$4,379 ₱269.6K

-10.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$45.36 ₱2,792

17.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$26.99 ₱1,661

-16.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,684

$74.4 ₱4,581

2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$53.7 ₱3,305

2.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$287 ₱17.7K

77.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$226 ₱13.9K

-7.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$449 ₱27.6K

78.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$307 ₱18.9K

26.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$2,412 ₱148.5K

24.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$965 ₱59.4K

102.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$226 ₱13.9K

50.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

-3.03%

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

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Puerto Princesa: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $287 in Puerto Princesa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 51% 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 $27.00 in Puerto Princesa. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $196, with Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Princesa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 51% 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: $508 in Cebu versus $287 in Puerto Princesa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $873 per month in Cebu versus $819 in Puerto Princesa – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $819 in Puerto Princesa versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Puerto Princesa but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Princesa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.