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: $924 in Cebu versus $625 in Santa Rosa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Cebu versus $887 in Santa Rosa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,905 in Cebu versus $1,148 in Santa Rosa.

Living in Cebu is roughly 48% more expensive than in Santa Rosa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Santa Rosa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ₱191

$2.44 ₱152

25.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 ₱1,445

$16.85 ₱1,051

37.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₱252

$2.78 ₱174

45.32%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱155

$1.13 ₱70.6

120.35%

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

$1.52 ₱94.8

$0.36 ₱22.74

322.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.54

$0.25 ₱15.68

96.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₱112

$0.97 ₱60.8

85.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱143

$1.29 ₱80.5

77.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱120

$1.69 ₱106

13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱86.8

$1.12 ₱69.6

24.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.2

$1.02 ₱63.5

-0.98%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱126

$1.65 ₱103

23.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 ₱616

$5.19 ₱324

90.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱282

$3.43 ₱214

31.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₱474

$8.05 ₱502

-5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ₱208

$2.23 ₱139

49.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱87.2

$0.77 ₱47.73

81.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱150

$2.40 ₱149

0.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱96.6

$1.05 ₱65.2

47.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 ₱153

$1.67 ₱104

47.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱119

$1.79 ₱111

6.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱76.5

$0.65 ₱40.82

89.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.60

$0.53 ₱33.17

16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱179

$3.05 ₱190

-5.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱393

$8.67 ₱541

-27.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱80.8

$0.96 ₱60.0

35.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱109

$2.03 ₱127

-13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.22

$0.27 ₱16.87

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱790

$11.19 ₱698

13.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.55

$0.77 ₱48.27

-2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.34

$0.25 ₱15.67

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱270

$1.88 ₱117

130.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱78.9

$1.04 ₱65.1

21.15%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.6K ₱1.3M

-2.39%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

1.11%

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

$121 ₱7,546

$63.3 ₱3,945

91.27%

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

$15.07 ₱940

$6.53 ₱407

130.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.29 ₱1,702

$23.53 ₱1,467

15.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.26 ₱2,012

$32.41 ₱2,021

-0.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₱398

$4.93 ₱308

29.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱351

$5.11 ₱319

10.18%

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

$281 ₱17.5K

$134 ₱8,359

109.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,117 ₱506.2K

$5,562 ₱346.8K

45.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 ₱3,058

$28.66 ₱1,787

71.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 ₱1,542

$19.68 ₱1,227

25.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₱4,860

$73.4 ₱4,579

6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,637

$55.0 ₱3,431

6.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.4K

$264 ₱16.5K

90.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.1K

$171 ₱10.7K

79.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₱67.7K

$503 ₱31.4K

115.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.4K

$179 ₱11.2K

252.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₱178.9K

$2,614 ₱163.0K

9.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 ₱117.9K

$1,046 ₱65.2K

80.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.6K

$143 ₱8,933

141.72%

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 Santa Rosa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Cebu and $264 in Santa Rosa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 142% 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 Santa Rosa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $170 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 142% 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 $264 in Santa Rosa. 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 $625 in Santa Rosa – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Santa Rosa runs roughly 13% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $625 in Santa Rosa versus $924 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 48% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.