For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,141 in Tamási, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
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 Tamási actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,141 in Tamási.
Cebu $918
Tamási $1,141
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,778 in Tamási.
Cebu $1,409
Tamási $1,778
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $2,415 in Tamási.
Cebu $1,900
Tamási $2,415
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 20% less than in Tamási, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu32% lower, Tamási15% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Tamási
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱194
$9.29Ft 2,996
-66.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,524
$57.7Ft 18.6K
-58.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱246
$9.42Ft 3,038
-58.39%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$2.38Ft 766
5.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$1.52Ft 491
4.61%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.42
$1.31Ft 423
-59.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$2.26Ft 727
-21.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$2.26Ft 729
-3.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Tamási
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$1.04Ft 337
84.62%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.4
$1.36Ft 439
-
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.5
$1.20Ft 385
-15.83%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$2.14Ft 689
-5.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$10.11Ft 3,259
-2.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱276
$5.85Ft 1,886
-24.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱478
$12.19Ft 3,930
-37.65%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$1.50Ft 483
120.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.7
$1.56Ft 502
-10.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$1.80Ft 581
29.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.2
$2.94Ft 948
-48.98%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$1.01Ft 327
133.66%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$1.10Ft 355
72.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$1.50Ft 484
-20.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.69
$0.50Ft 162
26.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$6.59Ft 2,123
-54.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱379
$4.02Ft 1,296
50.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.6
$1.15Ft 371
6.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$1.49Ft 482
17.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Tamási
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.85
$1.21Ft 389
-79.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱795
$26.82Ft 8,644
-52.87%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.59
$2.99Ft 963
-74.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.52
$1.71Ft 551
-86.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱280
$18.52Ft 5,969
-75.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$1.90Ft 611
-31.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$30.0KFt 9.7M
-29.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$38.4KFt 12.4M
-50.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Tamási
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,566
$121Ft 39.0K
-0.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱881
$21.64Ft 6,975
-35.30%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,733
$16.31Ft 5,257
68.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Tamási
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,034
$46.93Ft 15.1K
-31.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱418
$17.64Ft 5,686
-62.30%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱355
$7.74Ft 2,493
-27.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Tamási
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$248Ft 80.0K
10.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.3K
$6,681Ft 2.2M
18.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Tamási
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,105
$87.8Ft 28.3K
-43.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,589
$33.15Ft 10.7K
-23.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,844
$72.4Ft 23.3K
6.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,600
$59.7Ft 19.2K
-4.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Tamási
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.4K
$524Ft 169.0K
-4.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$398Ft 128.2K
-22.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.8K
$745Ft 240.0K
44.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.7K
$658Ft 212.2K
-6.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.6K
$2,812Ft 906.4K
2.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.6K
$2,822Ft 909.7K
-32.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Tamási
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$1,210Ft 389.9K
-71.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
6.67
7.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Tamási: October 13, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309 33.6%
Tamási
$398 34.9% ↑ 28.8%$89
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Tamási
$206 18.1% ↑ 0.3%$0.5
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Tamási
$159 13.9% ↓ 1.7%$2.8
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Tamási
$114 10% ↑ 21.2%$20
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Tamási
$158 13.9% ↑ 79.3%$70
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Tamási
$62 5.5% ↑ 43.1%$19
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Tamási
$43 3.8% ↑ 177%$28
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Tamási
$658 27.3% ↑ 7%$43
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Tamási
$488 20.2% ↑ 1%$4.9
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Tamási
$181 7.5% ↑ 2.8%$4.9
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Tamási
$253 10.5% ↑ 21.2%$44
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Tamási
$604 25% ↑ 107%$312
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Tamási
$142 5.9% ↑ 51.7%$49
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Tamási
$89 3.7% ↑ 181%$57
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $524 in Tamási. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Tamási pays 250% 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 $58.0 in Tamási for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
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 Tamási: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tamási cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Tamási?
On paper, salaries run 250% lower in Tamási. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Tamási?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $524 in Tamási. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Tamási?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $1,141 in Tamási – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 112% less than in Tamási. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Tamási?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,141 in Tamási, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Tamási. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Tamási more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tamási, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Tamási?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Tamási are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Tamási. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.