Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and San Juan Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and San Juan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $806 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,302 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,797 in San Juan.

Living in Cebu is roughly 8% more expensive than San Juan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, San Juan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$2.84 ₱175

52.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$8.61 ₱531

180.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.59 ₱222

21.45%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.97 ₱183

-13.47%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.83 ₱50.9

1.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.45 ₱27.49

-4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.47 ₱90.8

4.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.10 ₱130

0.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.73 ₱106

27.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.62 ₱100

-7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$0.94 ₱57.9

18.09%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.01 ₱124

15.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$8.16 ₱503

59.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$5.25 ₱324

1.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$10.80 ₱666

-30.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$2.31 ₱142

54.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.53 ₱94.1

-5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$3.17 ₱196

6.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.15 ₱70.8

89.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$1.75 ₱108

48.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$3.44 ₱212

-27.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.07 ₱66.1

-14.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.90 ₱55.4

-12.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$2.87 ₱177

8.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$7.33 ₱452

-11.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$0.74 ₱45.66

63.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.61 ₱99.4

44.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.16 ₱9.57

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.68 ₱41.69

23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.24 ₱14.86

4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.09 ₱129

28.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.11 ₱68.4

-1.80%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$28.1K ₱1.7M

7.07%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$17.7K ₱1.1M

52.74%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$128 ₱7,916

-25.72%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$32.96 ₱2,032

2.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$26.09 ₱1,609

14.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$72.0 ₱4,437

-54.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.37 ₱270

92.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$4.07 ₱251

43.49%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$145 ₱8,965

60.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$4,240 ₱261.5K

-8.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$45.32 ₱2,794

17.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$34.62 ₱2,134

-34.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$69.1 ₱4,260

11.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$117 ₱7,209

-53.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$269 ₱16.6K

91.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$107 ₱6,621

94.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$1,273 ₱78.5K

-36.77%

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

$2,438 ₱150.4K

21.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$1,112 ₱68.6K

72.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$242 ₱14.9K

50.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

29.66%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for San Juan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $269 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 51% 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 $9.00 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $216 per month, with San Juan 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 51% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Cebu versus $269 in San Juan. 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 $806 in San Juan – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $806 in San Juan versus $873 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Juan 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 Juan 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 Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.