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: $1,339 in Cebu versus $983 in Roxas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,355 in Roxas.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$2.69 ₱165

63.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$20.95 ₱1,290

15.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$3.65 ₱225

24.11%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.07 ₱127

21.74%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.57 ₱35.15

40.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.17 ₱10.47

147.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$0.93 ₱57.5

70.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$1.75 ₱108

25.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.13 ₱69.5

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.11 ₱68.3

36.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$0.81 ₱50.0

43.21%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$2.20 ₱136

7.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$5.89 ₱363

118.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$1.92 ₱118

180.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$6.91 ₱425

13.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$1.31 ₱80.4

169.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.12 ₱69.2

34.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.40 ₱86.4

135.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.17 ₱72.2

88.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$1.05 ₱64.5

151.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$0.77 ₱47.52

219.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.06 ₱65.3

-5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.46 ₱28.13

69.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$3.09 ₱190

0.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$8.94 ₱551

-28.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.26 ₱77.3

-7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.45 ₱89.2

54.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.26 ₱15.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱946

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.69 ₱42.78

17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.24 ₱14.79

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.73 ₱168

-3.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.14 ₱70.1

-3.51%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$23.5K ₱1.4M

29.71%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

42.02%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$65.9 ₱4,059

45.46%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$8.62 ₱531

295.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,839

$28.83 ₱1,775

3.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$33.41 ₱2,057

-0.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$4.48 ₱276

88.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$5.42 ₱334

6.83%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$36.07 ₱2,220

552.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$4,326 ₱266.3K

-9.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$46.02 ₱2,833

15.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$22.79 ₱1,403

-0.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,685

$61.2 ₱3,770

24.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$26.35 ₱1,623

108.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$360 ₱22.1K

41.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$175 ₱10.8K

19.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$599 ₱36.9K

33.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

-0.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$2,405 ₱148.1K

25.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$830 ₱51.1K

135.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$572 ₱35.2K

-40.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Roxas: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $360 in Roxas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Roxas pays 68% 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 $241 vs $149 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 68% lower in Roxas. 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 $360 in Roxas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% 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.