Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuenca and Tacloban Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuenca and Tacloban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $975 per month in Cuenca vs $769 in Tacloban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,432 per month in Cuenca vs $1,146 in Tacloban, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,890 per month in Cuenca vs $1,522 in Tacloban, rent included.

Cuenca costs about 27% more than Tacloban, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cuenca and Tacloban are more affordable than the global median – Cuenca 29% lower, Tacloban 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 $3.45

$2.97 ₱186

16.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.29 $30.29

$15.94 ₱999

90.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 $8.12

$2.46 ₱154

230.08%

Cappuccino

$2.65 $2.65

$2.34 ₱147

13.25%

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

$0.78 $0.78

$0.66 ₱41.12

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 $0.63

$0.35 ₱21.93

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.63 ₱102

25.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.22 ₱139

37.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.98 ₱124

-45.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.17 ₱73.5

50.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.82 ₱51.7

126.83%

Eggs

$2.26 $2.26

$1.98 ₱124

14.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$9.87 ₱619

-41.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.41 ₱277

37.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 $7.49

$7.10 ₱445

5.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$3.35 ₱210

-45.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.09 ₱68.6

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.31 ₱145

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.48 ₱93.1

-12.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.37 ₱148

-32.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.93 ₱121

-44.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.19 ₱74.4

-36.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.67 ₱41.91

88.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.40 $5.40

$1.94 ₱122

178.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 $9.83

$6.38 ₱400

54.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.09 ₱68.4

35.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.75 ₱110

77.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.25 ₱15.55

24.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.03 $16.03

$11.07 ₱694

44.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.76 ₱47.55

82.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.23 ₱14.47

391.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.08 $11.08

$1.91 ₱120

480.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.04 ₱65.0

-16.35%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

17.72%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

53.15%

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

$37.77 $37.77

$120 ₱7,494

-68.40%

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

$12.49 $12.49

$15.19 ₱952

-17.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.44 $26.44

$28.27 ₱1,773

-6.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.73 $29.73

$32.60 ₱2,044

-8.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.18 $5.18

$4.71 ₱295

9.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 $7.20

$5.52 ₱346

30.43%

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

$218 $218

$134 ₱8,371

63.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,857 $6,857

$8,203 ₱514.3K

-16.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 $65.8

$32.10 ₱2,013

104.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 $46.95

$19.66 ₱1,232

138.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$75.7 ₱4,747

50.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 $71.7

$55.2 ₱3,459

29.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 $494

$271 ₱17.0K

82.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 $385

$194 ₱12.1K

98.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$679 $679

$506 ₱31.7K

34.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 $591

$352 ₱22.0K

68.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,213 $1,213

$2,646 ₱165.9K

-54.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$849 $849

$1,030 ₱64.6K

-17.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$559 $559

$349 ₱21.9K

60.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

7.2

55.00%

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

Last update for Cuenca: September 6, 2026

Last update for Tacloban: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 in Cuenca versus $271 in Tacloban. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 60% higher in Cuenca, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Cuenca versus $16.00 in Tacloban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $201 – making Tacloban the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Cuenca vs Tacloban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cuenca is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,462 per month in Cuenca and $1,154 in Tacloban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tacloban, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Cuenca and $16.00 in Tacloban. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $975 in Cuenca and $769 in Tacloban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tacloban, where all-in costs run around $769, than in Cuenca at $975. In Tacloban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cuenca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tacloban – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tacloban. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cuenca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.