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: $854 in Cebu versus $784 in Talisay City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,318 in Cebu versus $1,210 in Talisay City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,782 in Cebu versus $1,636 in Talisay City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 9% more expensive than Talisay City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 36% lower, Talisay City 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ₱271

$3.64 ₱225

20.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.98 ₱1,479

$18.07 ₱1,115

32.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₱280

$3.25 ₱201

39.69%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱156

$2.38 ₱147

6.30%

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

$0.85 ₱52.6

$0.78 ₱47.81

8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱27.85

$0.39 ₱24.18

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ₱93.6

$1.36 ₱84.0

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.12 ₱130

3.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 ₱142

$1.91 ₱118

20.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ₱96.8

$1.21 ₱74.9

29.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ₱71.2

$1.00 ₱61.7

15.00%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱146

$2.07 ₱127

14.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱804

$8.19 ₱505

59.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 ₱314

$4.32 ₱266

18.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 ₱490

$7.60 ₱469

4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 ₱215

$3.00 ₱185

16.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.59 ₱97.9

-5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.58 ₱159

27.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 ₱135

$1.54 ₱94.8

42.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ₱161

$2.27 ₱140

14.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 ₱151

$2.52 ₱156

-2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.9

$1.06 ₱65.4

-13.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱51.4

$0.76 ₱47.12

9.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₱202

$2.77 ₱171

18.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 ₱416

$7.69 ₱474

-12.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.7

$1.20 ₱73.9

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₱140

$1.98 ₱122

14.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.37

$0.28 ₱17.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.14 ₱934

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱53.6

$0.82 ₱50.6

6.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.50

$0.22 ₱13.52

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 ₱161

$2.19 ₱135

19.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.3

$1.10 ₱68.0

3.64%

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

$29.6K ₱1.8M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

13.20%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

31.67%

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

$95.2 ₱5,870

$112 ₱6,892

-14.83%

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

$33.67 ₱2,077

$32.30 ₱1,993

4.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.79 ₱1,837

$27.42 ₱1,691

8.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.90 ₱2,029

$34.60 ₱2,134

-4.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.16 ₱503

$4.52 ₱279

80.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$5.82 ₱359

-0.52%

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

$232 ₱14.3K

$155 ₱9,530

50.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,860 ₱238.1K

$4,367 ₱269.3K

-11.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 ₱3,214

$45.84 ₱2,827

13.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.82 ₱1,407

$26.51 ₱1,635

-13.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ₱4,736

$76.4 ₱4,709

0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 ₱3,351

$53.9 ₱3,323

0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 ₱30.6K

$263 ₱16.3K

88.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ₱13.2K

$174 ₱10.7K

22.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ₱49.2K

$578 ₱35.7K

37.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 ₱23.8K

$389 ₱24.0K

-0.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,968 ₱183.1K

$2,237 ₱137.9K

32.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,963 ₱121.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$383 ₱23.6K

$342 ₱21.1K

12.05%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Talisay City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Cebu and $263 in Talisay City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 12% 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 $18.00 in Talisay City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $206 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 12% 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: $497 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 18% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $854 per month in Cebu versus $784 in Talisay City – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $784 in Talisay City versus $854 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 9% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.