Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Sorsogon City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Sorsogon City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $854 in Cebu versus $773 in Sorsogon City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,318 in Cebu versus $1,220 in Sorsogon City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,782 in Cebu versus $1,667 in Sorsogon City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 10% more expensive than Sorsogon City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 36% lower, Sorsogon City 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ₱271

$3.65 ₱225

20.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.98 ₱1,479

$18.00 ₱1,110

33.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₱280

$3.25 ₱201

39.69%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱156

$2.47 ₱153

2.43%

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

$0.85 ₱52.6

$0.84 ₱51.6

1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱27.85

$0.36 ₱22.32

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ₱93.6

$1.30 ₱80.1

16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.18 ₱135

0.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 ₱142

$1.91 ₱118

20.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ₱96.8

$1.22 ₱75.1

28.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ₱71.2

$0.94 ₱57.9

22.34%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱146

$1.99 ₱123

18.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱804

$8.10 ₱500

60.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 ₱314

$4.22 ₱260

20.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 ₱490

$7.64 ₱471

4.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 ₱215

$2.99 ₱185

16.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.58 ₱97.2

-4.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.71 ₱167

21.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 ₱135

$1.59 ₱98.3

37.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ₱161

$2.32 ₱143

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 ₱151

$2.62 ₱161

-6.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.9

$1.10 ₱68.0

-16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱51.4

$0.73 ₱44.95

13.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₱202

$2.86 ₱177

14.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 ₱416

$7.11 ₱439

-5.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.7

$1.20 ₱73.9

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₱140

$2.05 ₱126

10.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.37

$0.26 ₱15.91

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.14 ₱934

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱53.6

$0.82 ₱50.6

6.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.50

$0.22 ₱13.49

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 ₱161

$2.16 ₱133

20.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.3

$1.15 ₱70.9

-0.87%

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

$29.6K ₱1.8M

$26.7K ₱1.6M

10.87%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$20.3K ₱1.3M

33.10%

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

$95.2 ₱5,870

$113 ₱7,000

-16.14%

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

$33.67 ₱2,077

$32.54 ₱2,007

3.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.79 ₱1,837

$27.33 ₱1,686

9.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.90 ₱2,029

$34.28 ₱2,114

-4.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.16 ₱503

$4.51 ₱278

80.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$5.90 ₱364

-1.86%

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

$232 ₱14.3K

$154 ₱9,496

50.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,860 ₱238.1K

$4,302 ₱265.3K

-10.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 ₱3,214

$46.29 ₱2,855

12.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.82 ₱1,407

$27.07 ₱1,670

-15.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ₱4,736

$75.4 ₱4,651

1.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 ₱3,351

$53.7 ₱3,314

1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 ₱30.6K

$264 ₱16.3K

87.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ₱13.2K

$176 ₱10.9K

21.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ₱49.2K

$593 ₱36.6K

34.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 ₱23.8K

$400 ₱24.7K

-3.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,968 ₱183.1K

$2,352 ₱145.1K

26.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,963 ₱121.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$383 ₱23.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

19.94%

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

Last update for Cebu: April 28, 2026

Last update for Sorsogon City: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Cebu and $264 in Sorsogon City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $18.00 in Sorsogon City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $204 per month, with Sorsogon City 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 Sorsogon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sorsogon City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,281 in Cebu and $1,160 in Sorsogon City 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: $497 in Cebu versus $264 in Sorsogon City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $854 per month in Cebu versus $773 in Sorsogon City – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $773 in Sorsogon City versus $854 in Cebu, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sorsogon City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Sorsogon City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sorsogon City 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 Sorsogon City 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 Sorsogon City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.