Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Santa Cruz, Laguna Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Santa Cruz, Laguna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,156 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,574 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Living in Cebu is roughly 18% more expensive than Santa Cruz, Laguna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Santa Cruz, Laguna 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$1.80 ₱111

140.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$8.66 ₱534

178.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.05 ₱188

42.95%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.19 ₱135

17.35%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.43 ₱26.47

95.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.26 ₱15.85

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.27 ₱78.4

20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$1.08 ₱66.7

95.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.81 ₱111

22.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.21 ₱74.5

23.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$1.07 ₱66.0

3.74%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$1.74 ₱107

33.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$5.38 ₱332

142.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$4.31 ₱266

24.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$7.16 ₱442

4.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$1.57 ₱97.1

127.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$0.51 ₱31.34

184.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$1.56 ₱96.2

117.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.69 ₱104

28.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.86 ₱177

-9.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$4.16 ₱256

-40.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.56 ₱96.3

-41.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$1.04 ₱64.2

-24.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$3.18 ₱196

-2.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$8.92 ₱550

-26.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.54 ₱95.3

-21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.98 ₱122

17.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.26 ₱15.84

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.77 ₱47.63

9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.22 ₱13.53

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.19 ₱135

22.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$25.4K ₱1.6M

18.43%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

32.50%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$94.5 ₱5,826

0.92%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$33.54 ₱2,068

0.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$29.99 ₱1,849

-0.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$34.24 ₱2,111

-3.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.49 ₱277

87.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$6.91 ₱426

-15.48%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$81.2 ₱5,005

186.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$2,818 ₱173.7K

38.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$32.30 ₱1,992

65.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$29.26 ₱1,804

-22.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$97.3 ₱5,998

-21.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$92.8 ₱5,719

-41.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$271 ₱16.7K

90.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$179 ₱11.0K

16.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$579 ₱35.7K

39.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$399 ₱24.6K

-0.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$2,557 ₱157.7K

15.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$1,067 ₱65.8K

80.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

-1.60%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $271 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $9.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $191 per month, with Santa Cruz, Laguna 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Cruz, Laguna is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,309 in Cebu and $1,107 in Santa Cruz, Laguna 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: $515 in Cebu versus $271 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% 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 $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $873 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz, Laguna but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz, Laguna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Santa Cruz, Laguna 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.