Cost of Living Comparison Between Dagupan and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Dagupan and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $805 in Dagupan versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,189 in Dagupan versus $1,326 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,572 in Dagupan versus $1,778 in Cebu.

Living in Dagupan costs roughly 8% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dagupan 40% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.21 ₱198

$4.33 ₱267

-25.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.36 ₱824

$24.14 ₱1,489

-44.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ₱300

$4.36 ₱269

11.70%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ₱173

$2.57 ₱159

8.95%

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

$0.55 ₱33.71

$0.84 ₱52.1

-34.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₱15.90

$0.43 ₱26.36

-39.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₱80.4

$1.53 ₱94.5

-15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ₱188

$2.11 ₱130

44.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ₱129

$2.21 ₱137

-5.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱89.0

$1.50 ₱92.6

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ₱55.4

$1.11 ₱68.7

-18.92%

Eggs

$2.09 ₱129

$2.33 ₱144

-10.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.53 ₱403

$13.03 ₱803

-49.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 ₱279

$5.35 ₱330

-15.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 ₱480

$7.50 ₱462

3.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 ₱281

$3.57 ₱220

27.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 ₱119

$1.45 ₱89.4

33.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 ₱161

$3.39 ₱209

-23.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 ₱81.5

$2.18 ₱134

-39.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 ₱196

$2.59 ₱160

22.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ₱179

$2.48 ₱153

16.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱67.3

$0.92 ₱56.6

18.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱36.38

$0.79 ₱48.95

-25.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₱159

$3.11 ₱192

-17.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 ₱354

$6.52 ₱402

-11.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.8

$1.21 ₱74.4

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₱129

$2.32 ₱143

-9.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.51

$0.28 ₱17.41

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₱41.68

$0.84 ₱51.6

-19.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.89

$0.25 ₱15.45

-4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.69 ₱166

33.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.3

$1.09 ₱67.1

1.83%

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

$33.1K ₱2.0M

$30.1K ₱1.9M

9.92%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-18.46%

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

$113 ₱6,941

$95.4 ₱5,880

18.05%

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

$27.60 ₱1,702

$33.83 ₱2,086

-18.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.24 ₱1,803

$29.78 ₱1,836

-1.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.44 ₱2,308

$32.91 ₱2,029

13.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.51 ₱278

$8.43 ₱520

-46.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.83 ₱359

$5.84 ₱360

-0.17%

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

$113 ₱6,978

$233 ₱14.3K

-51.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,395 ₱271.0K

$3,894 ₱240.1K

12.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 ₱3,660

$53.5 ₱3,297

11.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.63 ₱532

$22.75 ₱1,403

-62.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 ₱5,273

$76.7 ₱4,729

11.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.1 ₱3,089

$54.5 ₱3,359

-8.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 ₱13.7K

$515 ₱31.8K

-56.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱10.9K

$209 ₱12.9K

-15.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 ₱32.0K

$805 ₱49.6K

-35.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 ₱18.0K

$397 ₱24.5K

-26.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,343 ₱144.5K

$2,955 ₱182.2K

-20.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$964 ₱59.4K

$1,923 ₱118.6K

-49.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$241 ₱14.9K

$364 ₱22.5K

-33.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-16.63%

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

Last update for Dagupan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Dagupan and $515 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 51% 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: $13.00 in Dagupan vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $240 per month, with Dagupan 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

Dagupan vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dagupan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cebu earns 51% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $223 in Dagupan versus $515 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $805 per month in Dagupan versus $873 in Cebu – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $805 in Dagupan versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dagupan but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Dagupan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dagupan 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, Dagupan 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 Dagupan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.