For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $915 a month against $2,734 in Dededo, rent and utilities included – about $21,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dededo and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,734 in Dededo versus $915 in Cebu.
Dededo $2,734
Cebu $915
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,908 in Dededo versus $1,418 in Cebu.
Dededo $3,908
Cebu $1,418
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,082 in Dededo versus $1,921 in Cebu.
Dededo $5,082
Cebu $1,921
🌍
Living in Dededo is roughly 199% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Dededo is 102% above, Cebu is 33% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Dededo
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.58$24.58
$3.05₱194
705.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.68$49.68
$24.00₱1,526
107.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$16.93$16.93
$3.99₱254
324.31%
Cappuccino
$4.47$4.47
$2.50₱159
78.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12$1.12
$1.54₱98.0
-27.27%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03$1.03
$0.50₱31.68
106.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.83$2.83
$1.78₱113
58.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.17₱138
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dededo
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$6.97$6.97
$2.00₱127
248.50%
White Bread(500g)
$9.23$9.23
$1.37₱87.0
573.72%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.22$2.22
$1.03₱65.5
115.53%
Eggs
$7.03$7.03
$2.03₱129
246.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
-
$10.20₱648
-
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$18.09$18.09
$4.45₱283
306.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$7.67₱487
-
Apples(1kg)
$7.99$7.99
$3.31₱210
141.39%
Banana(1kg)
$8.07$8.07
$1.46₱92.7
452.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$10.17$10.17
$2.32₱148
338.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$9.78$9.78
$1.49₱94.9
556.38%
Potato(1kg)
$6.25$6.25
$2.34₱149
167.09%
Onion(1kg)
$8.48$8.48
$1.94₱124
337.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$4.48$4.48
$1.16₱73.7
286.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.04$2.04
$0.68₱43.32
200.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.23$9.23
$2.99₱190
208.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$22.99$22.99
$6.24₱397
268.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.44$2.44
$1.23₱78.1
98.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.10$5.10
$1.73₱110
194.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Dededo
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.23₱14.50
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$12.34₱785
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$0.79₱50.5
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.22₱14.00
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$4.54₱288
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
-
$1.32₱83.7
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.0K₱1.3M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$19.4K₱1.2M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dededo
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$203$203
$119₱7,537
71.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.16$49.16
$14.22₱904
245.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.8$50.8
$27.47₱1,747
84.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dededo
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$32.31₱2,054
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.50₱413
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$5.40₱343
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dededo
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$276₱17.5K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$7,866₱500.1K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dededo
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.1$59.1
$49.37₱3,139
19.79%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$98.5$98.5
$24.58₱1,563
300.69%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102$102
$76.6₱4,873
33.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120$120
$58.9₱3,742
103.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dededo
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,635$1,635
$503₱32.0K
224.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,322$1,322
$305₱19.4K
334.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,231$3,231
$1,075₱68.3K
200.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,003$2,003
$632₱40.2K
216.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,870₱182.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,877₱119.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dededo
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,805$3,805
$336₱21.4K
1032.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
7.2
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Dededo: October 18, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Dededo
–
Cebu
$305 33.3%
🛒Groceries & Markets
Dededo
–
Cebu
$210 22.9%
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dededo
–
Cebu
$160 17.5%
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Dededo
–
Cebu
$94 10.3%
🍽Eating Out
Dededo
–
Cebu
$88 9.6%
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Dededo
–
Cebu
$43 4.7%
🚌Getting Around
Dededo
–
Cebu
$15 1.7%
🏠Accommodation & Living
Dededo
–
Cebu
$632 32.9%
🛒Groceries & Markets
Dededo
–
Cebu
$491 25.6%
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dededo
–
Cebu
$174 9.1%
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Dededo
–
Cebu
$209 10.9%
🍽Eating Out
Dededo
–
Cebu
$290 15.1%
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Dededo
–
Cebu
$93 4.8%
🚌Getting Around
Dededo
–
Cebu
$31 1.6%
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,635 in Dededo and $503 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Dededo pays 1033% 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: $50.0 in Dededo vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $614 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Dededo vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Dededo?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 199% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Dededo or Cebu?
Average pay runs 1033% higher in Dededo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Dededo and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,635 in Dededo versus $503 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Dededo and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 193% higher in Dededo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Dededo or in Cebu?
Dining out is cheaper in Cebu – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $50.0 in Dededo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Dededo or in Cebu?
At $915 in Cebu versus $2,734 in Dededo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Dededo. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Dededo or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dededo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Dededo or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Dededo 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 199% less than in Dededo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.