Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and San Fernando, La Union Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and San Fernando, La Union

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $688 in San Fernando, La Union.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,025 in San Fernando, La Union.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,363 in San Fernando, La Union.

Living in Cebu is roughly 27% more expensive than in San Fernando, La Union, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, San Fernando, La Union 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$3.64 ₱224

20.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$17.85 ₱1,099

36.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$3.35 ₱206

35.22%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.39 ₱147

5.44%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.78 ₱48.30

2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.39 ₱24.21

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.35 ₱83.4

17.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.12 ₱130

3.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$2.96 ₱182

-23.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.26 ₱77.6

19.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$0.95 ₱58.6

22.11%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$2.03 ₱125

16.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$8.11 ₱499

58.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$4.36 ₱268

23.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$7.51 ₱462

4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$2.88 ₱177

22.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.51 ₱93.2

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.63 ₱162

25.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.53 ₱94.4

43.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$2.28 ₱140

15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$2.61 ₱161

-5.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.11 ₱68.1

-9.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.71 ₱43.41

9.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$2.86 ₱176

8.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$8.85 ₱545

-27.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.15 ₱71.0

0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.97 ₱121

13.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.28 ₱17.26

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱945

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.78 ₱47.82

3.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.22 ₱13.49

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.17 ₱134

21.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.19 ₱73.5

-7.56%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$26.3K ₱1.6M

16.00%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

34.25%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$115 ₱7,050

-16.27%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$32.66 ₱2,011

4.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,838

$26.98 ₱1,661

10.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$13.15 ₱810

153.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$4.52 ₱278

86.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$6.11 ₱376

-5.24%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$154 ₱9,450

53.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$5,905 ₱363.5K

-33.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$44.89 ₱2,764

18.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$26.87 ₱1,655

-15.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,684

$35.92 ₱2,211

111.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$39.67 ₱2,442

38.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$132 ₱8,117

285.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$123 ₱7,602

69.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$252 ₱15.5K

217.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$216 ₱13.3K

80.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$2,200 ₱135.4K

36.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$946 ₱58.2K

106.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

19.94%

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

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $132 in San Fernando, La Union. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $18.00 in San Fernando, La Union for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $217 per month, with San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Fernando, La Union is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,310 in Cebu and $1,032 in San Fernando, La Union to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $508 in Cebu versus $132 in San Fernando, La Union. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% 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 $688 in San Fernando, La Union – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $688 in San Fernando, La Union versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Fernando, La Union but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando, La Union the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.