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: $867 in Cebu versus $787 in Talisay City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,349 in Cebu versus $1,201 in Talisay City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,832 in Cebu versus $1,616 in Talisay City.

Living in Cebu is roughly 10% 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 ₱267

$3.61 ₱219

21.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.84 ₱1,448

$17.76 ₱1,078

34.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.50 ₱273

$3.27 ₱199

37.61%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱161

$2.35 ₱143

12.77%

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

$0.80 ₱48.45

$0.78 ₱47.15

2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.44

$0.37 ₱22.20

13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ₱91.8

$1.35 ₱81.8

11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱131

$2.08 ₱126

3.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₱135

$1.82 ₱110

21.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ₱92.9

$1.21 ₱73.7

26.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱68.3

$0.98 ₱59.6

14.29%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱140

$1.99 ₱121

16.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ₱793

$8.23 ₱500

58.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱327

$4.16 ₱253

29.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 ₱471

$7.56 ₱459

2.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 ₱220

$2.94 ₱178

23.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₱91.1

$1.58 ₱96.2

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 ₱207

$2.60 ₱158

31.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱132

$1.54 ₱93.8

40.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 ₱154

$2.29 ₱139

10.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 ₱148

$2.62 ₱159

-6.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱60.8

$1.08 ₱65.5

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.14

$0.73 ₱44.20

8.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₱198

$2.79 ₱169

16.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱383

$7.92 ₱481

-20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱69.7

$1.20 ₱72.6

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₱140

$2.00 ₱121

15.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.03

$0.28 ₱17.14

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.06 ₱914

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱50.5

$0.77 ₱46.58

7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱13.85

$0.22 ₱13.33

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 ₱165

$2.09 ₱127

29.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱66.3

$1.10 ₱67.0

-0.91%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

15.22%

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

$27.1K ₱1.6M

$20.1K ₱1.2M

34.60%

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

$97.2 ₱5,900

$114 ₱6,932

-14.89%

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

$34.37 ₱2,087

$32.57 ₱1,977

5.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.15 ₱1,831

$27.16 ₱1,649

11.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.14 ₱2,012

$34.13 ₱2,072

-2.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.25 ₱501

$4.49 ₱273

83.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱355

$6.04 ₱367

-3.31%

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

$228 ₱13.8K

$153 ₱9,309

48.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,923 ₱238.2K

$4,378 ₱265.8K

-10.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ₱3,140

$46.06 ₱2,797

12.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.99 ₱1,396

$26.07 ₱1,583

-11.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 ₱4,567

$75.2 ₱4,564

0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 ₱3,422

$52.7 ₱3,198

7.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ₱31.0K

$269 ₱16.3K

89.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.7K

$176 ₱10.7K

19.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$787 ₱47.8K

$595 ₱36.1K

32.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱23.7K

$401 ₱24.4K

-2.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,948 ₱179.0K

$2,184 ₱132.6K

35.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,906 ₱115.7K

$1,045 ₱63.5K

82.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 ₱23.0K

$335 ₱20.3K

12.99%

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 Talisay City: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Cebu and $269 in Talisay City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 13% 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 $241 vs $204 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cebu pays 13% 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 $269 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 $867 per month in Cebu versus $787 in Talisay City – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $787 in Talisay City versus $867 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 10% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.