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: $936 in Cebu versus $873 in Quezon City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in Cebu versus $1,383 in Quezon City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,918 in Cebu versus $1,893 in Quezon City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 7% more expensive than in Quezon City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Quezon City 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱193

$4.42 ₱277

-30.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 ₱1,488

$19.35 ₱1,210

23.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 ₱257

$2.83 ₱177

44.88%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$2.68 ₱168

-2.99%

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

$1.55 ₱96.9

$0.75 ₱46.63

106.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱33.46

$0.27 ₱16.75

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.47 ₱92.1

17.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱137

$2.73 ₱171

-19.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱120

$1.74 ₱109

10.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.1

$1.13 ₱70.8

23.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱60.8

$0.85 ₱53.0

14.12%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱125

$1.78 ₱111

12.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ₱621

$6.79 ₱424

46.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 ₱274

$4.13 ₱259

6.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 ₱463

$6.92 ₱433

7.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱217

$3.87 ₱242

-10.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱91.7

$1.40 ₱87.3

5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$3.62 ₱226

-33.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.5

$1.19 ₱74.5

29.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.29 ₱143

3.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱119

$3.49 ₱218

-45.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₱77.3

$1.39 ₱87.2

-10.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱41.42

$0.93 ₱57.9

-29.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$2.78 ₱174

7.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ₱380

$7.81 ₱488

-22.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.8

$1.33 ₱83.2

-1.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.79 ₱112

-3.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.65

$0.39 ₱24.62

-35.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱796

$19.47 ₱1,217

-34.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.78

$0.78 ₱48.83

-3.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 ₱288

$2.63 ₱164

74.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₱83.7

$1.19 ₱74.7

12.61%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$21.9K ₱1.4M

-0.44%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

2.13%

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

$121 ₱7,564

$165 ₱10.3K

-26.49%

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

$14.86 ₱929

$14.61 ₱914

1.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.84 ₱1,741

$25.24 ₱1,578

10.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.06 ₱2,005

$38.85 ₱2,429

-17.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.43 ₱402

$3.35 ₱209

91.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 ₱352

$7.18 ₱449

-21.45%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$73.2 ₱4,579

273.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,017 ₱501.3K

$2,493 ₱155.9K

221.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.77 ₱3,050

$36.64 ₱2,291

33.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 ₱1,594

$22.54 ₱1,410

13.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 ₱4,884

$79.0 ₱4,937

-1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₱3,616

$74.6 ₱4,665

-22.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.3K

$314 ₱19.7K

59.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₱18.7K

$192 ₱12.0K

56.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 ₱68.1K

$747 ₱46.7K

45.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.5K

$527 ₱32.9K

19.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,888 ₱180.6K

$2,319 ₱145.0K

24.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱117.3K

$1,463 ₱91.5K

28.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$442 ₱27.6K

-21.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

2.86%

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

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Quezon City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $314 in Quezon City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quezon City 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: $24.00 in Cebu vs $19.00 in Quezon City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $206 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

Quezon City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Quezon City. 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: $500 in Cebu versus $314 in Quezon City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $936 per month in Cebu versus $873 in Quezon City – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Quezon City runs roughly 53% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $873 in Quezon City versus $936 in Cebu, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quezon City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Quezon City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Quezon City 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 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 Quezon City 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.