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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $914 per month in Cuenca vs $829 in Tacloban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,336 per month in Cuenca vs $1,185 in Tacloban, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,759 per month in Cuenca vs $1,540 in Tacloban, rent included.

Cuenca costs about 10% more than Tacloban, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cuenca and Tacloban are more affordable than the global median – Cuenca 32% lower, Tacloban 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 $3.46

$4.47 ₱269

-22.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.60 $24.60

$17.84 ₱1,074

37.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 $7.09

$2.68 ₱161

164.55%

Cappuccino

$2.41 $2.41

$2.61 ₱157

-7.66%

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

$0.81 $0.81

$0.71 ₱43.01

14.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 $0.69

$0.39 ₱23.31

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.53 ₱92.2

28.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.16 ₱130

64.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.25 ₱136

-50.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.53 ₱92.0

9.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.00 ₱59.9

51.00%

Eggs

$2.16 $2.16

$2.30 ₱138

-6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$12.99 ₱782

-58.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$4.74 ₱285

18.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$7.77 ₱468

-20.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$3.64 ₱219

-59.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.26 ₱76.0

-17.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$3.30 ₱198

-62.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.82 ₱110

-43.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.64 ₱159

-42.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.52 ₱152

-59.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 $0.46

$0.92 ₱55.3

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.80 ₱47.87

28.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 $5.86

$2.18 ₱131

168.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.04 $10.04

$6.70 ₱403

49.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.16 ₱69.7

25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.35 ₱141

41.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.17 ₱10.29

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.57 $26.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 $0.66

$0.89 ₱53.6

-25.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.16 ₱9.35

537.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.45 $13.45

$2.60 ₱157

417.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$1.09 ₱65.6

-37.61%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$30.5K ₱1.8M

-0.40%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$27.8K ₱1.7M

2.08%

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

$40.43 $40.43

$96.2 ₱5,786

-57.95%

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

$13.90 $13.90

$34.23 ₱2,060

-59.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.88 $30.88

$30.40 ₱1,829

1.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.74 $28.74

$34.30 ₱2,064

-16.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.26 $5.26

$4.48 ₱270

17.41%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 $7.57

$6.11 ₱368

23.90%

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

$256 $256

$230 ₱13.9K

10.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,634 $5,634

$3,887 ₱233.9K

44.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 $55.6

$45.72 ₱2,751

21.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 $53.1

$23.34 ₱1,405

127.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 $99.0

$76.6 ₱4,610

29.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.7 $66.7

$55.6 ₱3,348

19.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 $373

$248 ₱14.9K

50.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 $331

$211 ₱12.7K

57.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$671 $671

$792 ₱47.7K

-15.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 $500

$238 ₱14.3K

109.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,219 $1,219

$2,338 ₱140.7K

-47.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$858 $858

$2,125 ₱127.9K

-59.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$545 $545

$363 ₱21.9K

50.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

43.50%

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

Last update for Cuenca: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tacloban: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $373 in Cuenca versus $248 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 50% 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 $25 in Cuenca versus $18 in Tacloban. Groceries tell a different story – $184 in Cuenca vs $235 in Tacloban – so Cuenca wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,371 per month in Cuenca and $1,243 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 $25.00 in Cuenca and $18.00 in Tacloban. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Cuenca – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $914 in Cuenca and $829 in Tacloban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.