Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Tacloban Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Tacloban

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $864 in Cebu versus $834 in Tacloban.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,335 in Cebu versus $1,187 in Tacloban.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,807 in Cebu versus $1,541 in Tacloban.

Living in Cebu is roughly 4% more expensive than in Tacloban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Tacloban 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 ₱277

$4.41 ₱273

1.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.83 ₱1,473

$17.41 ₱1,076

36.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 ₱271

$2.59 ₱160

69.11%

Cappuccino

$2.64 ₱163

$2.65 ₱164

-0.38%

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

$0.81 ₱49.91

$0.77 ₱47.70

5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.57

$0.42 ₱25.66

2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ₱93.8

$1.59 ₱98.4

-4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱130

$2.18 ₱135

-3.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₱139

$2.25 ₱139

-0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱92.4

$1.50 ₱92.5

-0.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$0.95 ₱58.5

16.84%

Eggs

$2.29 ₱141

$2.31 ₱143

-0.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.04 ₱806

$12.77 ₱789

2.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 ₱322

$4.66 ₱288

11.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 ₱463

$7.65 ₱473

-2.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 ₱218

$3.56 ₱220

-1.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ₱94.3

$1.22 ₱75.3

25.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 ₱211

$3.43 ₱212

-0.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.79 ₱111

25.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ₱162

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 ₱153

$2.57 ₱159

-3.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ₱61.2

$1.00 ₱62.1

-1.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.07

$0.85 ₱52.4

-8.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₱201

$2.11 ₱130

54.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 ₱395

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱72.0

$1.21 ₱74.8

-4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₱138

$2.28 ₱141

-2.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.31

$0.21 ₱12.87

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.32 ₱947

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₱54.1

$0.83 ₱51.3

6.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.20

$0.14 ₱8.94

64.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 ₱161

$2.74 ₱169

-4.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱68.2

$1.15 ₱71.3

-4.35%

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

$29.8K ₱1.8M

$29.6K ₱1.8M

0.35%

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

$27.3K ₱1.7M

$27.4K ₱1.7M

-0.42%

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

$96.4 ₱5,959

$96.1 ₱5,941

0.29%

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

$34.56 ₱2,136

$34.12 ₱2,109

1.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.67 ₱1,834

$30.34 ₱1,875

-2.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.00 ₱2,040

$33.93 ₱2,098

-2.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.16 ₱505

$4.45 ₱275

83.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ₱357

$5.87 ₱363

-1.70%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$229 ₱14.1K

2.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,852 ₱238.1K

$3,915 ₱242.0K

-1.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 ₱3,186

$46.09 ₱2,849

11.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.09 ₱1,427

$23.35 ₱1,444

-1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 ₱4,677

$74.3 ₱4,594

1.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 ₱3,412

$56.5 ₱3,492

-2.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 ₱31.0K

$251 ₱15.5K

100.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 ₱13.3K

$211 ₱13.1K

2.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$807 ₱49.9K

$813 ₱50.3K

-0.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₱23.7K

$237 ₱14.7K

61.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,979 ₱184.2K

$2,431 ₱150.3K

22.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,932 ₱119.5K

$989 ₱61.1K

95.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$347 ₱21.5K

$354 ₱21.9K

-1.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Cebu: July 22, 2026

Last update for Tacloban: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $502 in Cebu and $251 in Tacloban. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tacloban pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $17.00 in Tacloban for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $233 per month, with Tacloban 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 Tacloban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacloban is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Tacloban. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $502 in Cebu versus $251 in Tacloban. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $864 per month in Cebu versus $834 in Tacloban – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Tacloban gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Tacloban 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 Tacloban 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 Tacloban gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.