Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Roxas Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Roxas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $611 in Roxas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $979 in Roxas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,346 in Roxas.

Living in Cebu is roughly 43% more expensive than Roxas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Roxas 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$2.60 ₱160

66.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$21.05 ₱1,298

14.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.62 ₱223

20.44%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.00 ₱123

28.50%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.53 ₱32.79

58.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.17 ₱10.59

152.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.00 ₱61.7

53.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$1.78 ₱110

18.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.17 ₱72.4

88.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.09 ₱67.5

37.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$0.80 ₱49.38

38.75%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.19 ₱135

6.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$6.03 ₱372

116.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$1.91 ₱117

180.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$7.10 ₱438

5.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$1.31 ₱81.1

172.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.12 ₱68.8

29.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$1.40 ₱86.3

142.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.13 ₱69.5

92.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$1.01 ₱62.5

156.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$0.77 ₱47.40

222.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.07 ₱66.1

-14.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.42 ₱25.96

88.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$2.99 ₱184

4.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$5.53 ₱341

17.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.24 ₱76.2

-2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.39 ₱85.9

66.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.26 ₱15.92

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.70 ₱42.97

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.22 ₱13.56

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.71 ₱167

-0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.13 ₱69.9

-3.54%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$24.4K ₱1.5M

23.58%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

37.67%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$66.1 ₱4,079

44.18%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$8.95 ₱552

277.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$28.74 ₱1,772

3.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$34.36 ₱2,118

-4.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.44 ₱274

89.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$5.34 ₱329

9.36%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$35.28 ₱2,176

559.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$4,352 ₱268.4K

-10.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$45.87 ₱2,828

16.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$23.26 ₱1,434

-2.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$61.8 ₱3,807

24.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$26.90 ₱1,659

102.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$351 ₱21.7K

46.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$179 ₱11.0K

16.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$581 ₱35.9K

38.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$391 ₱24.1K

1.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$590 ₱36.4K

-38.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Roxas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $351 in Roxas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Roxas pays 62% 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 $21.00 in Roxas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $142 per month, with Roxas 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 Roxas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roxas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Roxas earns 62% 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 $351 in Roxas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% 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 $611 in Roxas – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $611 in Roxas versus $873 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Roxas but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Roxas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Roxas 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 Roxas 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 Roxas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.