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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Cebu versus $822 in San Pedro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,352 in Cebu versus $1,253 in San Pedro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Cebu versus $1,685 in San Pedro.

Living in Cebu is roughly 6% more expensive than San Pedro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, San Pedro 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ₱272

$4.92 ₱296

-8.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.52 ₱1,477

$21.67 ₱1,305

13.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ₱274

$3.18 ₱192

43.08%

Cappuccino

$2.55 ₱154

$2.70 ₱162

-5.56%

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

$0.86 ₱51.8

$0.96 ₱57.9

-10.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.33

$0.37 ₱22.35

13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ₱91.2

$1.22 ₱73.7

23.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱129

$2.59 ₱156

-17.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₱140

$1.91 ₱115

21.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ₱91.3

$1.22 ₱73.2

24.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱67.3

$1.05 ₱63.2

6.67%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱139

$1.95 ₱117

18.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 ₱765

$6.81 ₱410

86.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 ₱313

$4.32 ₱260

20.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 ₱474

$7.02 ₱423

12.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 ₱210

$3.42 ₱206

2.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱87.4

$1.60 ₱96.2

-9.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 ₱197

$2.89 ₱174

13.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱132

$1.71 ₱103

28.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 ₱155

$2.74 ₱165

-5.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 ₱156

$3.17 ₱191

-18.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ₱56.2

$1.57 ₱94.8

-40.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱47.47

$0.68 ₱41.05

16.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱191

$3.25 ₱196

-2.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 ₱388

$8.94 ₱538

-27.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱72.1

$1.44 ₱86.8

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₱142

$2.02 ₱122

16.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.04

$0.28 ₱16.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.34 ₱924

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱52.6

$0.77 ₱46.25

12.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.16

$0.24 ₱14.46

4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱162

$2.14 ₱129

25.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱66.1

$1.14 ₱68.9

-3.51%

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

$30.2K ₱1.8M

$25.3K ₱1.5M

19.78%

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

$26.9K ₱1.6M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

33.00%

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

$98.3 ₱5,922

$135 ₱8,135

-27.20%

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

$34.89 ₱2,101

$21.69 ₱1,306

60.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.76 ₱1,793

$27.10 ₱1,632

9.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.66 ₱1,967

$33.73 ₱2,031

-3.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱507

$4.38 ₱264

92.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 ₱362

$6.59 ₱397

-8.80%

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

$235 ₱14.2K

$81.7 ₱4,923

188.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,936 ₱237.0K

$2,776 ₱167.2K

41.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 ₱3,109

$32.54 ₱1,960

58.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.19 ₱1,397

$29.10 ₱1,752

-20.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ₱4,477

$83.5 ₱5,027

-10.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.7 ₱3,355

$46.79 ₱2,818

19.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 ₱30.0K

$270 ₱16.2K

84.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.7K

$173 ₱10.4K

21.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 ₱47.2K

$593 ₱35.7K

31.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 ₱23.3K

$390 ₱23.5K

-0.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 ₱186.4K

$2,393 ₱144.1K

29.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,981 ₱119.3K

$1,001 ₱60.3K

97.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$373 ₱22.5K

$310 ₱18.7K

20.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

6.38%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 13, 2026

Last update for San Pedro: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Cebu and $270 in San Pedro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 20% 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: $25.00 in Cebu vs $22.00 in San Pedro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $211 per month, with San Pedro 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 Pedro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pedro is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 20% 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: $498 in Cebu versus $270 in San Pedro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $869 per month in Cebu versus $822 in San Pedro – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $822 in San Pedro versus $869 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Pedro but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes San Pedro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Pedro 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 Pedro 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 Pedro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.