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 $896 in Quezon City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,374 in Quezon City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,851 in Quezon City.

Living in Cebu costs roughly 3% less than in Quezon City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Quezon City 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$4.84 ₱298

-9.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$21.35 ₱1,315

13.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$3.19 ₱196

42.01%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.86 ₱176

-11.89%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.95 ₱58.3

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.35 ₱21.37

20.00%

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

$2.58 ₱159

-15.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$2.17 ₱133

4.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.22 ₱75.0

23.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$1.07 ₱65.7

8.41%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$1.99 ₱123

18.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$7.14 ₱439

80.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$4.13 ₱254

30.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$7.00 ₱431

11.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$4.42 ₱272

-20.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.59 ₱97.7

-5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.96 ₱182

11.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.63 ₱100

34.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$2.77 ₱171

-4.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$4.20 ₱259

-41.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.59 ₱97.8

-37.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$1.05 ₱64.7

-25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$3.20 ₱197

-3.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$7.80 ₱480

-17.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.54 ₱94.9

-24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.99 ₱122

12.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.46 ₱28.31

-43.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱945

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.76 ₱47.06

6.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.25 ₱15.35

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.09 ₱129

26.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.14 ₱69.9

-3.51%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$25.2K ₱1.6M

20.88%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

34.02%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$167 ₱10.3K

-42.52%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$33.45 ₱2,059

1.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,838

$29.64 ₱1,825

0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$24.65 ₱1,518

35.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$6.14 ₱378

37.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$7.00 ₱431

-17.29%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$82.6 ₱5,088

184.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$2,782 ₱171.3K

40.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$31.68 ₱1,950

67.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$29.16 ₱1,795

-22.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,684

$99.2 ₱6,104

-23.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$93.9 ₱5,780

-41.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$271 ₱16.7K

87.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$197 ₱12.1K

6.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$716 ₱44.1K

11.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$421 ₱25.9K

-7.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$2,356 ₱145.0K

27.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$1,447 ₱89.1K

34.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$447 ₱27.5K

-24.00%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Quezon City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $271 in Quezon City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quezon City pays 32% 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 $241 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. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 32% 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: $508 in Cebu versus $271 in Quezon City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Quezon City 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 $896 in Quezon City – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $873 in Cebu versus $896 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 3% less than in Quezon City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.