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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $879 in Cebu versus $771 in Talisay City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,347 in Cebu versus $1,188 in Talisay City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,815 in Cebu versus $1,606 in Talisay City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 14% more expensive than in Talisay City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 34% lower, Talisay City 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 ₱266

$3.62 ₱222

19.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.95 ₱1,471

$17.52 ₱1,076

36.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.48 ₱275

$3.26 ₱200

37.42%

Cappuccino

$2.58 ₱158

$2.36 ₱145

9.32%

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

$0.78 ₱48.05

$0.84 ₱51.5

-7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱27.79

$0.40 ₱24.34

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ₱93.3

$1.30 ₱80.0

16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱132

$2.12 ₱130

1.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 ₱142

$1.85 ₱113

24.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ₱93.6

$1.26 ₱77.5

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 ₱72.1

$1.01 ₱62.2

15.84%

Eggs

$2.35 ₱145

$2.09 ₱129

12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 ₱778

$7.82 ₱480

62.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 ₱323

$4.37 ₱268

20.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 ₱484

$7.86 ₱483

0.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 ₱214

$2.93 ₱180

18.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₱89.8

$1.53 ₱93.8

-4.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 ₱204

$2.61 ₱160

27.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₱140

$1.61 ₱98.7

40.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 ₱163

$2.32 ₱142

14.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 ₱151

$2.55 ₱156

-3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ₱56.9

$1.06 ₱65.1

-12.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.64

$0.76 ₱46.62

3.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₱192

$2.77 ₱170

12.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 ₱391

$9.06 ₱556

-29.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₱73.2

$1.21 ₱74.5

-1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱138

$1.98 ₱122

13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.96

$0.28 ₱17.40

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.85 ₱912

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱53.3

$0.79 ₱48.26

10.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.09

$0.22 ₱13.42

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.19 ₱135

23.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.0

$1.14 ₱70.1

-2.63%

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

$30.0K ₱1.8M

$26.6K ₱1.6M

12.81%

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

$26.8K ₱1.6M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

29.85%

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

$96.9 ₱5,947

$111 ₱6,842

-13.08%

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

$34.35 ₱2,109

$32.42 ₱1,990

5.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 ₱1,820

$27.19 ₱1,669

9.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.03 ₱2,028

$33.37 ₱2,049

-1.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.50 ₱522

$4.35 ₱267

95.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 ₱358

$6.12 ₱376

-4.90%

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

$227 ₱13.9K

$150 ₱9,216

51.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,968 ₱243.7K

$4,261 ₱261.6K

-6.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₱3,273

$45.78 ₱2,811

16.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.14 ₱1,421

$26.28 ₱1,614

-11.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ₱4,584

$75.4 ₱4,627

-0.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,346

$53.3 ₱3,272

2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.6K

$263 ₱16.2K

95.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 ₱13.3K

$174 ₱10.7K

24.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 ₱48.2K

$592 ₱36.3K

32.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₱23.8K

$389 ₱23.9K

-0.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,908 ₱178.5K

$2,377 ₱145.9K

22.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,911 ₱117.3K

$922 ₱56.6K

107.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.2K

$347 ₱21.3K

-0.37%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Talisay City: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $263 in Talisay City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Talisay City pays 0% 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 $18.00 in Talisay City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $208 per month, with Talisay 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 Talisay City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Talisay City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Talisay City. 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: $515 in Cebu versus $263 in Talisay 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 $879 per month in Cebu versus $771 in Talisay City – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $771 in Talisay City versus $879 in Cebu, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Talisay City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Talisay City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Talisay 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 Talisay 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 Talisay City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.