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 $729 in Tagbilaran City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,178 in Tagbilaran City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,628 in Tagbilaran City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 20% more expensive than 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

$4.33 ₱267

$4.37 ₱270

-0.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$21.37 ₱1,318

12.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.31 ₱204

31.72%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$2.52 ₱155

1.98%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.85 ₱52.4

-1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.43 ₱26.33

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.17 ₱72.4

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.09 ₱129

0.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.72 ₱106

28.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.09 ₱67.5

37.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$0.88 ₱54.2

26.14%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.02 ₱124

15.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$10.49 ₱647

24.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$4.47 ₱276

19.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$7.64 ₱471

-1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$3.56 ₱220

0.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.29 ₱79.8

12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$3.25 ₱201

4.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.83 ₱113

19.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.21 ₱136

17.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.41 ₱148

2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$0.99 ₱60.9

-7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$0.67 ₱41.55

17.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$2.67 ₱165

16.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$6.25 ₱385

4.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$0.93 ₱57.6

30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.17 ₱71.9

98.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.28 ₱17.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.89 ₱54.8

-5.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.25 ₱15.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.62 ₱162

2.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.14 ₱70.5

-4.39%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$27.8K ₱1.7M

8.36%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$21.8K ₱1.3M

23.87%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$76.1 ₱4,692

25.31%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$26.65 ₱1,643

26.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$29.62 ₱1,827

0.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$33.71 ₱2,079

-2.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$4.45 ₱274

89.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$4.10 ₱253

42.44%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$227 ₱14.0K

2.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$3,822 ₱235.7K

1.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$45.56 ₱2,809

17.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$20.23 ₱1,247

12.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$71.4 ₱4,400

7.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$55.4 ₱3,417

-1.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$213 ₱13.2K

141.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$155 ₱9,555

34.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$535 ₱33.0K

50.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$381 ₱23.5K

4.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$2,438 ₱150.3K

21.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$985 ₱60.8K

95.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$179 ₱11.0K

103.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $213 in Tagbilaran City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 104% 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 $21.00 in Tagbilaran City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $207 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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 104% more on average, 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: $515 in Cebu versus $213 in Tagbilaran City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% 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 $729 in Tagbilaran City – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $729 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 20% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.