Cost of Living Comparison Between Davao and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Davao and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $835 in Davao versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,279 in Davao versus $1,339 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,722 in Davao versus $1,805 in Cebu.

Living in Davao costs roughly 4% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Davao 37% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 ₱279

$4.39 ₱270

3.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.96 ₱1,475

$24.30 ₱1,496

-1.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.64 ₱286

$4.53 ₱279

2.43%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ₱127

$2.52 ₱155

-18.25%

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

$0.87 ₱53.3

$0.80 ₱49.42

8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱32.95

$0.42 ₱25.97

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ₱86.5

$1.59 ₱97.7

-11.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱106

$2.19 ₱135

-21.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₱103

$2.26 ₱139

-25.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱75.0

$1.51 ₱93.0

-19.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ₱59.4

$1.16 ₱71.6

-17.24%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱127

$2.36 ₱145

-12.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 ₱382

$12.87 ₱792

-51.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 ₱283

$5.38 ₱331

-14.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 ₱457

$7.82 ₱481

-4.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 ₱177

$3.53 ₱217

-18.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ₱70.4

$1.51 ₱92.9

-24.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱148

$3.29 ₱203

-26.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ₱87.3

$2.20 ₱136

-35.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱137

$2.64 ₱162

-15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 ₱194

$2.46 ₱152

28.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ₱80.7

$1.00 ₱61.4

31.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₱37.28

$0.78 ₱48.06

-21.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 ₱167

$3.10 ₱191

-12.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 ₱510

$6.43 ₱396

28.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 ₱86.6

$1.16 ₱71.7

21.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₱96.4

$2.24 ₱138

-29.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.45

$0.26 ₱15.80

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.45 ₱890

$15.36 ₱946

-5.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₱55.5

$0.81 ₱49.81

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.47

$0.23 ₱14.06

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱129

$2.64 ₱163

-20.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱66.9

$1.10 ₱67.7

-0.91%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$30.5K ₱1.9M

-27.82%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$27.7K ₱1.7M

-24.29%

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

$105 ₱6,463

$95.9 ₱5,904

9.48%

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

$33.78 ₱2,080

$34.05 ₱2,096

-0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.75 ₱2,201

$29.86 ₱1,839

19.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.25 ₱2,539

$33.32 ₱2,051

23.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.34 ₱267

$8.45 ₱520

-48.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 ₱271

$5.79 ₱357

-24.01%

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

$119 ₱7,315

$235 ₱14.5K

-49.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,829 ₱482.0K

$3,913 ₱240.9K

100.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 ₱4,040

$53.1 ₱3,272

23.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.82 ₱1,836

$22.65 ₱1,395

31.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₱4,792

$76.1 ₱4,685

2.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ₱4,273

$55.0 ₱3,383

26.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 ₱19.8K

$508 ₱31.3K

-36.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ₱11.3K

$210 ₱12.9K

-12.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 ₱50.2K

$800 ₱49.3K

2.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ₱22.2K

$389 ₱24.0K

-7.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 ₱99.8K

$3,013 ₱185.5K

-46.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,447 ₱89.1K

$1,950 ₱120.1K

-25.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$220 ₱13.5K

$340 ₱20.9K

-35.37%

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 Davao: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $321 in Davao and $508 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 55% 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: $24.00 in Davao vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $241 per month, with Davao 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

Davao vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Davao is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Cebu. 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: $321 in Davao versus $508 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $835 per month in Davao versus $873 in Cebu – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Davao runs roughly 6% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $835 in Davao versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Davao but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Davao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Davao 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, Davao 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 Davao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.