Cost of Living Comparison Between Las Terrenas and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Las Terrenas and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,156 in Las Terrenas versus $936 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,539 in Las Terrenas versus $1,427 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,922 in Las Terrenas versus $1,918 in Cebu.

Living in Las Terrenas is roughly 23% more expensive than in Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Las Terrenas 16% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.29 DOP 485

$3.09 ₱193

168.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.26 DOP 2,475

$23.80 ₱1,488

77.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 DOP 410

$4.10 ₱257

70.73%

Cappuccino

$1.82 DOP 107

$2.60 ₱163

-30.00%

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

$0.70 DOP 40.98

$1.55 ₱96.9

-54.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 DOP 22.70

$0.54 ₱33.46

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 DOP 147

$1.73 ₱108

45.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 DOP 239

$2.19 ₱137

86.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 DOP 72.9

$1.92 ₱120

-35.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 DOP 103

$1.39 ₱87.1

26.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 DOP 91.0

$0.97 ₱60.8

59.79%

Eggs

$1.55 DOP 90.9

$2.00 ₱125

-22.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 DOP 379

$9.93 ₱621

-34.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 DOP 214

$4.38 ₱274

-16.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 DOP 292

$7.41 ₱463

-32.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 DOP 217

$3.46 ₱217

6.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 DOP 87.3

$1.47 ₱91.7

1.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 DOP 198

$2.41 ₱151

40.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 DOP 129

$1.54 ₱96.5

42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 DOP 217

$2.36 ₱148

57.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 DOP 178

$1.91 ₱119

58.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 DOP 57.1

$1.24 ₱77.3

-21.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 DOP 99.0

$0.66 ₱41.42

156.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 DOP 290

$3.00 ₱188

65.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.14 DOP 1,004

$6.08 ₱380

181.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 DOP 183

$1.31 ₱81.8

138.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 DOP 205

$1.73 ₱108

102.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 DOP 151

$0.75 ₱46.78

244.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.45 DOP 202

$0.23 ₱14.41

1400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 ₱288

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 DOP 75.0

$1.34 ₱83.7

-4.48%

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

$15.0K DOP 876.8K

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-31.23%

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

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

35.11%

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

$95.4 DOP 5,588

$121 ₱7,564

-21.10%

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

$27.35 DOP 1,601

$14.86 ₱929

84.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.62 DOP 2,320

$27.84 ₱1,741

42.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.06 ₱2,005

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.43 ₱402

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 DOP 291

$5.64 ₱352

-11.70%

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

$155 DOP 9,066

$273 ₱17.1K

-43.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,526 DOP 323.5K

$8,017 ₱501.3K

-31.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.43 DOP 1,606

$48.77 ₱3,050

-43.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.07 DOP 2,756

$25.49 ₱1,594

84.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 DOP 3,752

$78.1 ₱4,884

-17.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.6 DOP 3,899

$57.8 ₱3,616

15.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 DOP 60.6K

$500 ₱31.3K

106.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 DOP 29.7K

$300 ₱18.7K

69.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,033 DOP 119.0K

$1,089 ₱68.1K

86.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 DOP 140.9K

$632 ₱39.5K

280.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,888 ₱180.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱117.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

52.78%

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

Last update for Las Terrenas: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,034 in Las Terrenas and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Las Terrenas vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $208 per month, with Cebu 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

Las Terrenas vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,733 in Las Terrenas and $1,404 in Cebu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,034 in Las Terrenas versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Las Terrenas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,156 per month in Las Terrenas versus $936 in Cebu – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $936 in Cebu versus $1,156 in Las Terrenas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Las Terrenas. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Las Terrenas, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Las Terrenas 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Las Terrenas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.