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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $716 in Tagbilaran City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,183 in Tagbilaran City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $1,649 in Tagbilaran City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 22% more expensive than in Tagbilaran City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Tagbilaran City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$4.52 ₱278

-2.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$21.67 ₱1,334

12.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$3.34 ₱206

35.63%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.62 ₱161

-3.82%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.79 ₱48.73

1.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.42 ₱26.02

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.18 ₱72.5

34.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.16 ₱133

1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.78 ₱109

26.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$1.09 ₱66.8

38.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$0.94 ₱58.0

23.40%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$1.92 ₱118

22.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$10.52 ₱648

22.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$4.65 ₱287

15.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$7.60 ₱468

2.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$3.58 ₱221

-1.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.32 ₱81.0

14.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$3.27 ₱201

0.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.90 ₱117

15.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$2.31 ₱142

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$2.43 ₱149

1.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.01 ₱61.9

-0.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.69 ₱42.60

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$2.78 ₱171

11.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$6.34 ₱390

1.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.00 ₱61.7

16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.12 ₱68.9

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.28 ₱17.42

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱945

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$0.89 ₱54.8

-8.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$0.25 ₱15.43

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.70 ₱166

-2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.15 ₱71.0

-4.35%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$28.2K ₱1.7M

8.01%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$22.0K ₱1.4M

26.30%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$78.4 ₱4,827

22.31%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$26.08 ₱1,606

30.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,838

$29.46 ₱1,814

1.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$34.18 ₱2,104

-2.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$4.33 ₱267

95.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$3.95 ₱243

46.58%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$228 ₱14.0K

3.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$3,830 ₱235.8K

2.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$45.82 ₱2,821

15.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$20.25 ₱1,247

11.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,684

$73.7 ₱4,540

3.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$55.1 ₱3,390

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$214 ₱13.1K

137.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$152 ₱9,360

37.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$538 ₱33.1K

48.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$386 ₱23.8K

0.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$796 ₱49.0K

278.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$484 ₱29.8K

302.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$178 ₱10.9K

91.11%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $214 in Tagbilaran City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 91% 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 Tagbilaran City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $210 per month, with Tagbilaran 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 Tagbilaran City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tagbilaran City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 91% 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 $214 in Tagbilaran City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $716 in Tagbilaran City – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $716 in Tagbilaran City versus $873 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tagbilaran City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Tagbilaran City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tagbilaran 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 Tagbilaran 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 Tagbilaran City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.