Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Tak

For one person, living costs are similar in Cebu and in Tak: $915 and $938 a month, rent and utilities included.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Tak
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Tak Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$915

/mo nomad

Tak

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Tak

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cebu and in Tak actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Cebu versus $938 in Tak.

Cebu $915
Tak $938

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Cebu versus $1,488 in Tak.

Cebu $1,418
Tak $1,488

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,921 in Cebu versus $2,039 in Tak.

Cebu $1,921
Tak $2,039

Living in Cebu costs roughly 2% less than in Tak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Tak 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ₱192

$3.38 ฿113

-9.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ₱1,511

$21.54 ฿720

11.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 ₱251

$7.23 ฿242

-44.81%

Cappuccino

$2.50 ₱157

$1.74 ฿58.1

43.68%

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

$1.54 ₱97.1

$0.60 ฿20.07

156.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.37

$0.33 ฿10.93

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.91 ฿63.8

-6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱136

$3.08 ฿103

-29.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.57 ฿52.6

27.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ₱86.2

$1.34 ฿44.76

2.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.9

$1.33 ฿44.41

-22.56%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$2.16 ฿72.3

-6.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ₱642

$16.40 ฿548

-37.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 ₱280

$2.90 ฿96.8

53.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 ₱483

$11.41 ฿381

-32.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$2.91 ฿97.4

13.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₱91.8

$1.03 ฿34.47

41.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₱146

$2.26 ฿75.6

2.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱94.0

$2.21 ฿73.9

-32.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

$1.49 ฿49.69

57.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$1.06 ฿35.59

83.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$1.15 ฿38.47

0.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.89

$0.53 ฿17.70

28.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱188

$4.47 ฿149

-33.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 ₱393

$16.78 ฿561

-62.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.3

$1.62 ฿54.3

-24.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$2.99 ฿100

-42.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.36

$0.81 ฿27.11

-71.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 ₱777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.96

$1.35 ฿45.00

-41.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.86

$1.18 ฿39.33

-81.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ₱286

$5.56 ฿186

-18.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$1.51 ฿50.4

-12.58%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$26.3K ฿877.5K

-20.00%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$26.0K ฿870.1K

-25.47%

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

$119 ₱7,464

$85.9 ฿2,869

38.09%

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

$14.22 ₱896

$12.38 ฿414

14.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.47 ₱1,730

$20.05 ฿670

37.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.31 ₱2,034

$41.87 ฿1,399

-22.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.50 ₱409

$14.06 ฿470

-53.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱340

$5.92 ฿198

-8.78%

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

$276 ₱17.4K

$595 ฿19.9K

-53.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,866 ₱495.3K

$11.2K ฿373.1K

-29.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 ₱3,108

$43.91 ฿1,467

12.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.58 ₱1,548

$30.26 ฿1,011

-18.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,825

$80.4 ฿2,686

-4.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 ₱3,706

$79.2 ฿2,647

-25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.7K

$416 ฿13.9K

20.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ₱19.2K

$314 ฿10.5K

-2.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₱67.7K

$1,208 ฿40.4K

-11.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.8K

$692 ฿23.1K

-8.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,870 ₱180.7K

$2,060 ฿68.8K

39.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱118.2K

$1,359 ฿45.4K

38.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ₱21.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

5.57

29.26%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Tak: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$305 33.3%

Tak

$314 33.5% 3.1% $9.4

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.9%

Tak

$247 26.4% 17.9% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$160 17.5%

Tak

$118 12.6% 26.2% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.3%

Tak

$105 11.2% 11.6% $11

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Tak

$89 9.5% 1.5% $1.3

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$43 4.7%

Tak

$54 5.7% 24.6% $11

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Tak

$10 * 1.1% 30.8% $4.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Cebu and $416 in Tak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $22.00 in Tak. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $247, with Cebu cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇹🇭 Tak

🕒 Local time

01:03 1:03 AM

00:03 12:03 AM

1 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

19,900

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Tak 2,770 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Tak

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,372 in Cebu and $1,407 in Tak 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: $503 in Cebu versus $416 in Tak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Tak. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Cebu versus $938 in Tak – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cebu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tak, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Tak 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Tak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.