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: $924 in Cebu versus $734 in Talisay City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Cebu versus $1,122 in Talisay City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,905 in Cebu versus $1,511 in Talisay City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 26% more expensive than in Talisay City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Talisay City 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ₱192

$3.64 ₱228

-15.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 ₱1,453

$16.75 ₱1,050

38.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₱253

$2.78 ₱174

45.32%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱156

$2.25 ₱141

10.67%

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

$1.52 ₱95.3

$0.62 ₱38.97

145.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.70

$0.34 ₱21.54

44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₱113

$1.08 ₱67.6

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱144

$1.91 ₱120

19.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.62 ₱102

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.3

$1.13 ₱70.8

23.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$0.96 ₱60.5

5.21%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱127

$1.94 ₱121

4.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 ₱619

$5.26 ₱330

87.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱283

$4.25 ₱267

6.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₱476

$7.34 ₱460

3.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ₱209

$2.31 ₱145

44.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱87.7

$1.62 ₱102

-13.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$2.40 ₱150

0.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.1

$1.18 ₱73.9

31.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 ₱154

$2.06 ₱129

19.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱120

$2.03 ₱127

-5.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$0.81 ₱50.9

51.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.80

$0.56 ₱35.15

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱180

$2.94 ₱184

-2.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱395

$7.89 ₱494

-20.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.2

$0.91 ₱56.9

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.94 ₱122

-9.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.30

$0.25 ₱15.53

-8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱794

$11.29 ₱708

12.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.79

$0.83 ₱52.0

-9.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.23 ₱14.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$1.88 ₱118

130.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.3

$1.12 ₱70.0

12.50%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-0.62%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

1.89%

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

$121 ₱7,586

$124 ₱7,770

-2.37%

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

$15.07 ₱944

$15.22 ₱954

-0.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.29 ₱1,711

$24.27 ₱1,522

12.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.26 ₱2,022

$32.06 ₱2,010

0.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.38 ₱400

$4.86 ₱305

31.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱353

$5.24 ₱328

7.44%

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

$281 ₱17.6K

$132 ₱8,262

113.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,117 ₱508.9K

$8,102 ₱507.9K

0.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 ₱3,074

$32.52 ₱2,039

50.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 ₱1,550

$19.87 ₱1,246

24.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₱4,886

$71.2 ₱4,466

9.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,656

$55.9 ₱3,502

4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.5K

$269 ₱16.9K

86.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.2K

$171 ₱10.7K

79.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 ₱68.1K

$503 ₱31.5K

115.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.6K

$352 ₱22.1K

79.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₱179.8K

$2,550 ₱159.9K

12.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 ₱118.5K

$1,034 ₱64.8K

82.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$342 ₱21.4K

1.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.75

6.67%

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

Last update for Cebu: September 7, 2026

Last update for Talisay City: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Cebu and $269 in Talisay City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 1% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $17.00 in Talisay City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $179 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Cebu, 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: $503 in Cebu versus $269 in Talisay City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $924 per month in Cebu versus $734 in Talisay City – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Talisay City runs roughly 12% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $734 in Talisay City versus $924 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 26% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.