Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Santa Rosa Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Santa Rosa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $749 in Santa Rosa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,146 in Santa Rosa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,543 in Santa Rosa.

Living in Cebu is roughly 17% more expensive than in Santa Rosa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$2.76 ₱170

59.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$21.63 ₱1,332

12.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$3.03 ₱187

49.50%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$1.26 ₱77.8

100.00%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.40 ₱24.89

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.28 ₱17.39

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.27 ₱78.2

25.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$1.41 ₱86.6

55.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$2.09 ₱129

8.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.21 ₱74.5

24.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$1.12 ₱69.0

3.57%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$1.80 ₱111

31.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$6.93 ₱427

85.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$4.20 ₱258

28.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$7.16 ₱441

9.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$4.47 ₱275

-21.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$0.92 ₱56.7

64.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.92 ₱180

12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.64 ₱101

34.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$2.86 ₱176

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$4.08 ₱251

-39.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.59 ₱97.8

-37.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$1.01 ₱62.4

-22.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$3.20 ₱197

-3.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$9.00 ₱554

-28.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.54 ₱95.1

-24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.99 ₱122

12.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.26 ₱16.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱945

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.78 ₱48.24

3.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.24 ₱14.82

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.11 ₱130

25.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.09 ₱67.1

0.92%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$25.8K ₱1.6M

17.93%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

34.73%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$52.5 ₱3,230

82.79%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$33.43 ₱2,058

1.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,838

$28.79 ₱1,772

3.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$33.44 ₱2,059

-0.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$4.45 ₱274

89.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$7.17 ₱442

-19.25%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$81.2 ₱4,999

189.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$2,799 ₱172.3K

39.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$32.18 ₱1,981

65.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$29.83 ₱1,836

-24.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,684

$98.6 ₱6,068

-22.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$93.0 ₱5,728

-40.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$252 ₱15.5K

101.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$174 ₱10.7K

20.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$397 ₱24.4K

101.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$281 ₱17.3K

38.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$2,551 ₱157.0K

18.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$969 ₱59.6K

101.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$148 ₱9,096

130.03%

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 Rosa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $252 in Santa Rosa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 130% 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 $22.00 in Santa Rosa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $221 per month, with Santa Rosa 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 Rosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Rosa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 130% 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: $508 in Cebu versus $252 in Santa Rosa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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 $749 in Santa Rosa – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $749 in Santa Rosa versus $873 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Rosa but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Rosa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Santa Rosa 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 Rosa 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 Rosa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.