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: $924 in Cebu versus $754 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Cebu versus $1,112 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,905 in Cebu versus $1,471 in San Juan.

Living in Cebu is roughly 23% more expensive than in San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, San Juan 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ₱192

$3.89 ₱244

-21.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 ₱1,453

$16.66 ₱1,044

39.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₱253

$2.80 ₱176

44.29%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱156

$2.70 ₱169

-7.78%

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

$1.52 ₱95.3

$0.65 ₱40.90

133.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.70

$0.34 ₱21.53

44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₱113

$1.07 ₱67.0

68.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱144

$1.63 ₱102

40.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.65 ₱103

16.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.3

$1.16 ₱72.6

19.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$0.93 ₱58.2

8.60%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱127

$1.76 ₱110

15.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 ₱619

$5.21 ₱327

89.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱283

$3.40 ₱213

32.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₱476

$7.00 ₱439

8.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ₱209

$2.33 ₱146

43.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱87.7

$1.43 ₱89.7

-2.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$2.32 ₱146

3.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.1

$1.08 ₱67.7

43.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 ₱154

$1.69 ₱106

45.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.74 ₱109

9.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$0.65 ₱41.05

89.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.80

$0.98 ₱61.2

-36.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱180

$2.72 ₱170

5.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱395

$7.47 ₱468

-15.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.2

$0.96 ₱60.1

35.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.83 ₱115

-4.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.30

$0.25 ₱15.66

-8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱794

$11.06 ₱693

14.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.79

$0.82 ₱51.5

-8.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.21 ₱13.14

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$1.94 ₱122

123.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.3

$1.14 ₱71.2

10.53%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-3.35%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

1.74%

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

$121 ₱7,586

$143 ₱8,948

-15.23%

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

$15.07 ₱944

$14.71 ₱922

2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.29 ₱1,711

$25.22 ₱1,581

8.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.26 ₱2,022

$32.08 ₱2,011

0.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₱400

$4.73 ₱297

34.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱353

$5.08 ₱318

10.83%

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

$281 ₱17.6K

$73.4 ₱4,598

283.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,117 ₱508.9K

$2,535 ₱158.9K

220.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 ₱3,074

$28.52 ₱1,788

71.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 ₱1,550

$19.36 ₱1,214

27.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₱4,886

$70.8 ₱4,440

10.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,656

$55.9 ₱3,507

4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.5K

$270 ₱16.9K

86.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.2K

$170 ₱10.7K

80.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₱68.1K

$502 ₱31.5K

116.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.6K

$350 ₱22.0K

80.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₱179.8K

$2,617 ₱164.1K

9.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 ₱118.5K

$1,032 ₱64.7K

83.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$243 ₱15.2K

42.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.75

6.67%

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

Last update for Cebu: September 7, 2026

Last update for San Juan: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Cebu and $270 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 42% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $17.00 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $174 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Cebu, 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: $503 in Cebu versus $270 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $924 per month in Cebu versus $754 in San Juan – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in San Juan runs roughly 14% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $754 in San Juan versus $924 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 23% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.