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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $867 in Cebu versus $754 in Tagum City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,349 in Cebu versus $1,158 in Tagum City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,832 in Cebu versus $1,562 in Tagum City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 15% more expensive than Tagum City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 36% lower, Tagum City 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ₱267

$3.46 ₱210

27.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.84 ₱1,448

$14.43 ₱876

65.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.50 ₱273

$3.87 ₱235

16.28%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱161

$1.73 ₱105

53.18%

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

$0.80 ₱48.45

$0.78 ₱47.64

2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.44

$0.37 ₱22.23

13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ₱91.8

$1.36 ₱82.3

11.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱131

$1.36 ₱82.3

58.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₱135

$1.82 ₱111

21.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ₱92.9

$1.26 ₱76.4

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱68.3

$1.01 ₱61.1

10.89%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱140

$2.09 ₱127

10.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ₱793

$8.25 ₱501

58.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱327

$4.22 ₱256

27.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 ₱471

$7.74 ₱470

0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 ₱220

$2.97 ₱181

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₱91.1

$1.55 ₱94.0

-3.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 ₱207

$2.64 ₱160

29.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱132

$1.60 ₱97.0

35.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 ₱154

$2.31 ₱140

9.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 ₱148

$2.64 ₱161

-7.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱60.8

$1.12 ₱68.1

-10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.14

$0.71 ₱43.27

11.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₱198

$2.81 ₱171

16.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱383

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱69.7

$1.21 ₱73.4

-4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₱140

$2.07 ₱126

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.03

$0.28 ₱17.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.06 ₱914

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱50.5

$0.82 ₱49.49

1.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱13.85

$0.24 ₱14.58

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 ₱165

$2.18 ₱132

24.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱66.3

$1.09 ₱66.4

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$27.0K ₱1.6M

12.90%

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

$27.1K ₱1.6M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

30.17%

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

$97.2 ₱5,900

$114 ₱6,900

-14.49%

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

$34.37 ₱2,087

$33.03 ₱2,006

4.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.15 ₱1,831

$27.58 ₱1,674

9.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.14 ₱2,012

$33.94 ₱2,061

-2.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.25 ₱501

$4.32 ₱262

90.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱355

$5.82 ₱353

0.34%

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

$228 ₱13.8K

$149 ₱9,040

53.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,923 ₱238.2K

$4,313 ₱261.9K

-9.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ₱3,140

$46.58 ₱2,828

11.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.99 ₱1,396

$26.66 ₱1,619

-13.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 ₱4,567

$76.6 ₱4,653

-1.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 ₱3,422

$52.7 ₱3,203

6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ₱31.0K

$267 ₱16.2K

91.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.7K

$177 ₱10.7K

18.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$787 ₱47.8K

$595 ₱36.1K

32.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱23.7K

$402 ₱24.4K

-2.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,948 ₱179.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,906 ₱115.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 ₱23.0K

$212 ₱12.9K

78.35%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Tagum City: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Cebu and $267 in Tagum City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 78% 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 $14.00 in Tagum City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $190 per month, with Tagum 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 Tagum City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tagum City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 78% 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: $511 in Cebu versus $267 in Tagum City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $867 per month in Cebu versus $754 in Tagum City – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $754 in Tagum City versus $867 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tagum City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Tagum City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tagum 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 Tagum 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 Tagum City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.