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: $936 in Cebu versus $378 in Roxas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in Cebu versus $600 in Roxas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,918 in Cebu versus $822 in Roxas.

Living in Cebu is roughly 147% more expensive than in Roxas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Roxas 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱193

$2.85 ₱178

8.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 ₱1,489

$19.46 ₱1,217

22.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 ₱257

$2.37 ₱148

73.00%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$1.91 ₱119

36.13%

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

$1.55 ₱97.0

$0.45 ₱28.16

244.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱33.47

$0.17 ₱10.34

217.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.06 ₱66.1

63.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱137

$1.80 ₱112

21.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱120

$1.62 ₱101

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.1

$0.91 ₱56.9

52.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱60.9

$0.89 ₱55.9

8.99%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱125

$1.95 ₱122

2.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ₱621

$6.10 ₱382

62.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 ₱274

$4.04 ₱253

8.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 ₱463

$6.28 ₱393

17.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱217

$1.63 ₱102

112.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱91.8

$0.93 ₱58.4

58.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$1.26 ₱78.8

91.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.5

$0.78 ₱48.59

97.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.92 ₱57.6

156.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱119

$1.00 ₱62.6

91.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₱77.3

$1.45 ₱90.9

-14.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱41.44

$0.79 ₱49.19

-16.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$2.22 ₱139

35.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ₱381

$6.56 ₱411

-7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.8

$1.10 ₱69.1

19.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.26 ₱78.8

37.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱797

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.80

$0.71 ₱44.19

5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.36 ₱22.73

-36.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 ₱288

$2.36 ₱148

94.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₱83.8

$0.96 ₱60.1

39.58%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$21.7K ₱1.4M

0.14%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

1.77%

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

$121 ₱7,567

$63.8 ₱3,992

89.53%

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

$14.86 ₱930

$8.17 ₱511

81.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.84 ₱1,742

$21.91 ₱1,370

27.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.06 ₱2,006

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.43 ₱403

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 ₱353

$4.83 ₱302

16.77%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$31.67 ₱1,981

763.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,017 ₱501.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.77 ₱3,051

$24.27 ₱1,518

100.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 ₱1,594

$17.77 ₱1,112

43.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 ₱4,885

$55.2 ₱3,452

41.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₱3,618

$24.29 ₱1,520

138.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.3K

$315 ₱19.7K

58.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₱18.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 ₱68.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,888 ₱180.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱117.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$579 ₱36.2K

-40.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

7.33

-1.77%

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

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Roxas: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $315 in Roxas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Roxas pays 67% 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 Roxas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $158 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 147% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 67% 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: $500 in Cebu versus $315 in Roxas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $936 per month in Cebu versus $378 in Roxas – a 147% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $378 in Roxas versus $936 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 147% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.