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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $724 in Cotabato City versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,154 in Cotabato City versus $1,326 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,584 in Cotabato City versus $1,778 in Cebu.

Living in Cotabato City costs roughly 17% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotabato City 46% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ₱272

$4.33 ₱267

1.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.90 ₱1,473

$24.14 ₱1,488

-0.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₱285

$4.36 ₱269

6.19%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ₱125

$2.57 ₱159

-21.01%

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

$0.87 ₱53.4

$0.84 ₱52.1

3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.60

$0.43 ₱26.35

23.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ₱86.8

$1.53 ₱94.5

-7.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱108

$2.11 ₱130

-17.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 ₱64.2

$2.21 ₱136

-52.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 ₱20.95

$1.50 ₱92.6

-77.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱55.9

$1.11 ₱68.7

-18.02%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱124

$2.33 ₱144

-13.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.86 ₱361

$13.03 ₱803

-55.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ₱201

$5.35 ₱330

-39.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 ₱458

$7.50 ₱462

-0.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 ₱86.4

$3.57 ₱220

-60.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ₱64.1

$1.45 ₱89.4

-28.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$3.39 ₱209

-68.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ₱69.0

$2.18 ₱134

-48.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 ₱77.9

$2.59 ₱159

-51.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ₱92.4

$2.48 ₱153

-39.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ₱31.14

$0.92 ₱56.6

-44.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱34.95

$0.79 ₱48.94

-27.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.86 ₱52.8

$3.11 ₱192

-72.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 ₱500

$6.52 ₱402

24.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₱87.3

$1.21 ₱74.4

17.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₱92.3

$2.32 ₱143

-35.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.27

$0.28 ₱17.41

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱924

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₱54.1

$0.84 ₱51.6

4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.49

$0.25 ₱15.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₱129

$2.69 ₱166

-22.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱68.1

$1.09 ₱67.1

0.92%

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

$22.4K ₱1.4M

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-25.48%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-21.25%

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

$105 ₱6,483

$95.4 ₱5,878

10.30%

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

$34.22 ₱2,109

$33.83 ₱2,085

1.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.53 ₱2,252

$29.78 ₱1,836

22.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.34 ₱2,117

$32.91 ₱2,029

4.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.33 ₱267

$8.43 ₱520

-48.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.14 ₱194

$5.84 ₱360

-46.23%

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

$117 ₱7,234

$233 ₱14.3K

-49.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,325 ₱266.6K

$3,894 ₱240.0K

11.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.46 ₱2,864

$53.5 ₱3,296

-13.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.70 ₱1,831

$22.75 ₱1,402

30.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ₱4,872

$76.7 ₱4,727

3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 ₱4,239

$54.5 ₱3,358

26.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₱16.2K

$515 ₱31.7K

-49.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$209 ₱12.9K

-14.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 ₱35.5K

$805 ₱49.6K

-28.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.4K

$397 ₱24.5K

-0.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,371 ₱146.2K

$2,955 ₱182.2K

-19.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,070 ₱66.0K

$1,923 ₱118.5K

-44.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

19.50%

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

Last update for Cotabato City: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $24.00 in Cotabato City vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $240 per month, with Cotabato 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

Cotabato City vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotabato City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,086 in Cotabato City and $1,309 in Cebu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $263 in Cotabato City versus $515 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $724 per month in Cotabato City versus $873 in Cebu – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $724 in Cotabato City versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cotabato City but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Cotabato City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotabato 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, Cotabato City and Cebu 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 Cotabato City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.