Cost of Living Comparison Between Dasmarinas and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Dasmarinas and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $502 in Dasmarinas versus $936 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Dasmarinas versus $1,427 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $998 in Dasmarinas versus $1,918 in Cebu.

Living in Dasmarinas costs roughly 46% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dasmarinas 63% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 ₱257

$3.09 ₱193

32.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.57 ₱1,037

$23.80 ₱1,490

-30.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.76 ₱173

$4.10 ₱257

-32.68%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₱111

$2.60 ₱163

-31.54%

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

$0.59 ₱37.08

$1.55 ₱97.0

-61.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.38

$0.54 ₱33.49

-42.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₱63.4

$1.73 ₱108

-41.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₱98.2

$2.19 ₱137

-28.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$1.92 ₱120

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₱69.6

$1.39 ₱87.2

-20.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 ₱43.81

$0.97 ₱60.9

-27.84%

Eggs

$1.82 ₱114

$2.00 ₱125

-9.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.01 ₱313

$9.93 ₱621

-49.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ₱216

$4.38 ₱274

-21.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 ₱293

$7.41 ₱464

-36.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₱140

$3.46 ₱217

-35.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₱100

$1.47 ₱91.8

8.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 ₱153

$2.41 ₱151

1.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.7

$1.54 ₱96.6

-31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 ₱106

$2.36 ₱148

-27.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.91 ₱120

-8.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₱38.65

$1.24 ₱77.4

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.20

$0.66 ₱41.47

-24.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₱183

$3.00 ₱188

-2.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.07 ₱568

$6.08 ₱381

49.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₱56.4

$1.31 ₱81.9

-31.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱126

$1.73 ₱108

16.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.67

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱797

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.39

$0.75 ₱46.84

5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.69

$0.23 ₱14.43

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱118

$4.60 ₱288

-58.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 ₱61.2

$1.34 ₱83.8

-26.87%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-0.49%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

1.18%

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

$48.99 ₱3,067

$121 ₱7,572

-59.50%

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

$17.37 ₱1,087

$14.86 ₱930

16.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 ₱1,493

$27.84 ₱1,743

-14.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.47 ₱2,095

$32.06 ₱2,007

4.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.43 ₱403

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 ₱320

$5.64 ₱353

-9.57%

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

$136 ₱8,490

$273 ₱17.1K

-50.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₱677.1K

$8,017 ₱501.9K

34.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.71 ₱1,797

$48.77 ₱3,053

-41.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.82 ₱1,241

$25.49 ₱1,596

-22.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₱4,478

$78.1 ₱4,889

-8.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 ₱3,470

$57.8 ₱3,621

-4.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$48.46 ₱3,034

$300 ₱18.8K

-83.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 ₱68.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,888 ₱180.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱117.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$357 ₱22.4K

$346 ₱21.7K

3.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

7.2

-11.11%

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

Last update for Dasmarinas: September 1, 2026

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dasmarinas pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $17.00 in Dasmarinas vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $161 vs $208 per month, with Dasmarinas 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

Dasmarinas vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dasmarinas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Dasmarinas, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $502 per month in Dasmarinas versus $936 in Cebu – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $502 in Dasmarinas versus $936 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dasmarinas but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Dasmarinas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dasmarinas 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, Dasmarinas 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 Dasmarinas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.