Cost of Living Comparison Between Imus and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Imus and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $667 in Imus versus $936 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $980 in Imus versus $1,427 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,293 in Imus versus $1,918 in Cebu.

Living in Imus costs roughly 29% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Imus 51% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 ₱245

$3.09 ₱193

26.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.69 ₱1,045

$23.80 ₱1,490

-29.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.79 ₱174

$4.10 ₱257

-31.95%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ₱121

$2.60 ₱163

-25.38%

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

$0.60 ₱37.70

$1.55 ₱97.0

-61.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₱20.01

$0.54 ₱33.49

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₱61.1

$1.73 ₱108

-43.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱107

$2.19 ₱137

-21.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ₱101

$1.92 ₱120

-15.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$1.39 ₱87.2

-17.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.1

$0.97 ₱60.9

5.15%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱126

$2.00 ₱125

0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.08 ₱318

$9.93 ₱621

-48.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ₱212

$4.38 ₱274

-22.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 ₱499

$7.41 ₱464

7.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₱139

$3.46 ₱217

-35.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₱97.5

$1.47 ₱91.8

6.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 ₱147

$2.41 ₱151

-2.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 ₱112

$1.54 ₱96.6

16.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ₱106

$2.36 ₱148

-28.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 ₱112

$1.91 ₱120

-5.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₱38.91

$1.24 ₱77.4

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.44

$0.66 ₱41.47

-19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 ₱198

$3.00 ₱188

5.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.91 ₱558

$6.08 ₱381

46.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₱68.4

$1.31 ₱81.9

-16.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₱130

$1.73 ₱108

19.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱16.75

$0.25 ₱15.66

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.65 ₱667

$12.73 ₱797

-16.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱51.0

$0.75 ₱46.83

8.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.09

$0.23 ₱14.43

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱118

$4.60 ₱288

-58.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱72.7

$1.34 ₱83.8

-13.43%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

0.33%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

-0.67%

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

$123 ₱7,691

$121 ₱7,572

1.57%

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

$15.08 ₱944

$14.86 ₱930

1.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.43 ₱1,467

$27.84 ₱1,743

-15.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.93 ₱1,749

$32.06 ₱2,007

-12.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.12 ₱258

$6.43 ₱403

-35.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 ₱325

$5.64 ₱353

-7.80%

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

$133 ₱8,344

$273 ₱17.1K

-51.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,099 ₱569.6K

$8,017 ₱501.9K

13.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.17 ₱1,826

$48.77 ₱3,053

-40.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.35 ₱1,211

$25.49 ₱1,595

-24.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ₱4,542

$78.1 ₱4,889

-7.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 ₱3,506

$57.8 ₱3,620

-3.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$121 ₱7,586

$500 ₱31.3K

-75.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 ₱6,298

$300 ₱18.8K

-66.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 ₱12.6K

$1,089 ₱68.1K

-81.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 ₱10.7K

$632 ₱39.6K

-72.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,782 ₱174.1K

$2,888 ₱180.8K

-3.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$956 ₱59.8K

$1,877 ₱117.5K

-49.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 ₱10.8K

$346 ₱21.7K

-50.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

7.2

-6.25%

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

Last update for Imus: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $121 in Imus and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 100% 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: $17.00 in Imus vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $208 per month, with Imus 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

Imus vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Imus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 100% 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: $121 in Imus versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $667 per month in Imus versus $936 in Cebu – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Imus runs roughly 20% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $667 in Imus versus $936 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Imus but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Imus the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Imus 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, Imus 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 Imus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.