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 $752 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,163 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,574 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Living in Cebu is roughly 16% more expensive than in Santa Cruz, Laguna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Santa Cruz, Laguna 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$1.81 ₱111

142.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$8.80 ₱542

176.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$3.07 ₱189

47.56%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.10 ₱129

20.00%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.43 ₱26.23

86.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.28 ₱17.43

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.22 ₱75.3

30.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$1.09 ₱67.0

100.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.81 ₱112

24.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.25 ₱77.3

20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$1.04 ₱63.9

11.54%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$1.72 ₱106

37.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$5.18 ₱319

148.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$4.35 ₱268

23.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$7.26 ₱447

7.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$1.58 ₱97.0

123.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$0.52 ₱31.79

190.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.55 ₱95.6

112.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.63 ₱101

34.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$2.90 ₱179

-8.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$4.00 ₱246

-38.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.57 ₱96.7

-36.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$1.06 ₱65.3

-26.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$3.17 ₱195

-2.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$9.17 ₱564

-29.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.61 ₱99.4

-27.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.94 ₱120

15.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.26 ₱15.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱945

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.79 ₱48.46

2.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.22 ₱13.48

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.14 ₱132

23.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.10 ₱68.0

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$25.9K ₱1.6M

17.53%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

35.29%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$95.2 ₱5,863

0.68%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$33.23 ₱2,046

2.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,838

$30.15 ₱1,856

-0.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$33.67 ₱2,073

-1.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$4.30 ₱265

96.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$6.89 ₱424

-15.97%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$81.0 ₱4,989

190.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$2,775 ₱170.9K

40.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$32.05 ₱1,973

65.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$29.37 ₱1,808

-22.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,684

$99.3 ₱6,110

-23.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$95.8 ₱5,897

-42.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$265 ₱16.3K

91.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$173 ₱10.7K

21.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$588 ₱36.2K

36.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$400 ₱24.6K

-2.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$2,399 ₱147.7K

25.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$1,116 ₱68.7K

74.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $265 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 $241 vs $192 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,310 in Cebu and $1,128 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: $508 in Cebu versus $265 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 $752 in Santa Cruz, Laguna – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $752 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 16% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.