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: $1,102 in Las Terrenas versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,634 in Las Terrenas versus $1,339 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Las Terrenas versus $1,805 in Cebu.

Living in Las Terrenas is roughly 26% more expensive than in Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Las Terrenas 18% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.45 DOP 375

$4.39 ₱270

46.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.63 DOP 2,774

$24.30 ₱1,496

96.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 DOP 426

$4.53 ₱279

61.37%

Cappuccino

$2.05 DOP 120

$2.52 ₱155

-18.65%

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

$1.04 DOP 60.5

$0.80 ₱49.42

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 48.70

$0.42 ₱25.97

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 DOP 147

$1.59 ₱97.7

59.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 DOP 299

$2.19 ₱135

134.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 DOP 73.1

$2.26 ₱139

-44.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 DOP 84.1

$1.51 ₱93.0

-4.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 DOP 71.0

$1.16 ₱71.6

5.17%

Eggs

$1.75 DOP 102

$2.36 ₱145

-25.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 DOP 421

$12.87 ₱792

-43.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 DOP 370

$5.38 ₱331

18.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 DOP 650

$7.82 ₱481

42.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 DOP 145

$3.53 ₱217

-29.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 DOP 54.0

$1.51 ₱92.9

-38.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 DOP 67.5

$3.29 ₱203

-64.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 DOP 68.4

$2.20 ₱136

-46.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 DOP 71.1

$2.64 ₱162

-53.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 DOP 133

$2.46 ₱152

-6.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 DOP 51.5

$1.00 ₱61.4

-12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 DOP 30.51

$0.78 ₱48.06

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.02 DOP 292

$3.10 ₱191

61.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.71 DOP 973

$6.43 ₱396

159.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 DOP 137

$1.16 ₱71.7

101.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 DOP 141

$2.24 ₱138

8.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 DOP 96.6

$0.26 ₱15.80

538.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱946

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 DOP 196

$0.81 ₱49.81

314.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 122

$0.23 ₱14.06

813.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 DOP 337

$2.64 ₱163

119.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 DOP 72.8

$1.10 ₱67.7

13.64%

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

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

$30.5K ₱1.9M

-14.45%

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

$32.0K DOP 1.9M

$27.7K ₱1.7M

15.41%

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

$77.7 DOP 4,523

$95.9 ₱5,904

-19.00%

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

$22.73 DOP 1,324

$34.05 ₱2,096

-33.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.30 DOP 2,114

$29.86 ₱1,839

21.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.10 DOP 1,229

$33.32 ₱2,051

-36.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.21 DOP 1,002

$8.45 ₱520

103.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 DOP 399

$5.79 ₱357

18.31%

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

$83.8 DOP 4,877

$235 ₱14.5K

-64.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,724 DOP 275.1K

$3,913 ₱240.9K

20.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.40 DOP 2,469

$53.1 ₱3,272

-20.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.10 DOP 2,452

$22.65 ₱1,395

85.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 DOP 4,103

$76.1 ₱4,685

-7.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 DOP 4,912

$55.0 ₱3,383

53.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 DOP 44.9K

$508 ₱31.3K

51.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 DOP 26.8K

$210 ₱12.9K

119.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 DOP 84.0K

$800 ₱49.3K

80.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$686 DOP 39.9K

$389 ₱24.0K

76.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

61.25%

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

Last update for Las Terrenas: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $771 in Las Terrenas and $508 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Las Terrenas vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $222 vs $241, with Las Terrenas cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,653 in Las Terrenas and $1,310 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: $771 in Las Terrenas versus $508 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Las Terrenas pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,102 per month in Las Terrenas versus $873 in Cebu – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $873 in Cebu versus $1,102 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 26% less than in Las Terrenas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.