Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Quezon City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Quezon City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $906 in Quezon City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,375 in Quezon City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,844 in Quezon City.

Living in Cebu costs roughly 4% less than in Quezon City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Quezon City 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$4.89 ₱302

-11.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$21.49 ₱1,325

12.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.12 ₱192

39.74%

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 ₱23.27

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

$2.71 ₱167

-22.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$2.16 ₱133

2.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.20 ₱74.1

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$1.08 ₱66.4

2.78%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.03 ₱125

14.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$7.10 ₱438

83.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$4.24 ₱261

26.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$7.39 ₱456

1.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$4.36 ₱269

-18.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.60 ₱98.6

-9.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$2.98 ₱184

13.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.63 ₱101

33.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.89 ₱178

-10.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$4.16 ₱256

-40.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.57 ₱97.0

-41.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$1.05 ₱64.5

-24.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$3.13 ₱193

-0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$7.20 ₱444

-9.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.55 ₱95.4

-21.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.02 ₱125

14.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.46 ₱28.17

-39.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.25 ₱15.24

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.16 ₱133

24.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$25.3K ₱1.6M

19.18%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

33.42%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$161 ₱9,945

-40.87%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$33.64 ₱2,074

0.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$30.00 ₱1,850

-0.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$24.35 ₱1,501

35.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$6.34 ₱391

32.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$7.22 ₱445

-19.11%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$79.8 ₱4,920

191.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$2,821 ₱173.9K

38.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$31.80 ₱1,961

68.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$29.11 ₱1,795

-21.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$98.7 ₱6,085

-22.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$95.6 ₱5,894

-43.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$274 ₱16.9K

88.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$198 ₱12.2K

5.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$737 ₱45.5K

9.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$430 ₱26.5K

-7.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$2,363 ₱145.7K

25.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$1,479 ₱91.2K

30.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$436 ₱26.9K

-16.47%

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 Quezon City: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $274 in Quezon City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quezon City pays 20% 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 $21.00 in Quezon City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $224 per month, with Quezon City 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 Quezon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Quezon City earns 20% less. 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: $515 in Cebu versus $274 in Quezon City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Quezon City pay roughly 7% 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 $906 in Quezon City – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $873 in Cebu versus $906 in Quezon City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Quezon City. 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 Quezon City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Quezon City 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 4% less than in Quezon City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.