Cost of Living Comparison Between Legazpi and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Legazpi and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $751 in Legazpi versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,154 in Legazpi versus $1,326 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,556 in Legazpi versus $1,778 in Cebu.

Living in Legazpi costs roughly 14% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Legazpi 44% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 ₱215

$4.33 ₱267

-19.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.78 ₱1,466

$24.14 ₱1,489

-1.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.02 ₱186

$4.36 ₱269

-30.73%

Cappuccino

$2.24 ₱138

$2.57 ₱159

-12.84%

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

$0.43 ₱26.32

$0.84 ₱52.1

-48.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱22.47

$0.43 ₱26.36

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₱61.2

$1.53 ₱94.5

-35.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ₱223

$2.11 ₱130

71.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ₱106

$2.21 ₱137

-22.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ₱81.6

$1.50 ₱92.6

-12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱62.7

$1.11 ₱68.7

-8.11%

Eggs

$2.14 ₱132

$2.33 ₱144

-8.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.16 ₱750

$13.03 ₱803

-6.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ₱237

$5.35 ₱330

-28.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 ₱433

$7.50 ₱462

-6.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 ₱184

$3.57 ₱220

-16.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ₱133

$1.45 ₱89.4

48.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 ₱223

$3.39 ₱209

6.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱107

$2.18 ₱134

-20.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 ₱166

$2.59 ₱160

3.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 ₱112

$2.48 ₱153

-26.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ₱111

$0.92 ₱56.6

94.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱56.8

$0.79 ₱48.95

16.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 ₱268

$3.11 ₱192

39.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 ₱491

$6.52 ₱402

22.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.8

$1.21 ₱74.4

-4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ₱214

$2.32 ₱143

49.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.55

$0.28 ₱17.41

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 ₱38.07

$0.84 ₱51.6

-26.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.74

$0.25 ₱15.45

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 ₱167

$2.69 ₱166

0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₱75.2

$1.09 ₱67.1

11.93%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-12.91%

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

$20.1K ₱1.2M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-25.73%

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

$150 ₱9,241

$95.4 ₱5,880

57.15%

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

$23.65 ₱1,458

$33.83 ₱2,086

-30.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.96 ₱2,218

$29.78 ₱1,836

20.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.45 ₱2,124

$32.91 ₱2,029

4.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.55 ₱281

$8.43 ₱520

-46.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.38 ₱331

$5.84 ₱360

-7.88%

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

$71.4 ₱4,404

$233 ₱14.3K

-69.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,372 ₱269.6K

$3,894 ₱240.1K

12.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.03 ₱2,838

$53.5 ₱3,297

-13.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.00 ₱1,665

$22.75 ₱1,403

18.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 ₱4,415

$76.7 ₱4,729

-6.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ₱4,348

$54.5 ₱3,359

29.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$160 ₱9,859

$515 ₱31.8K

-68.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 ₱6,621

$209 ₱12.9K

-48.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 ₱23.2K

$805 ₱49.6K

-53.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 ₱13.5K

$397 ₱24.5K

-44.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 ₱170.3K

$2,955 ₱182.2K

-6.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$910 ₱56.1K

$1,923 ₱118.6K

-52.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$273 ₱16.9K

$364 ₱22.5K

-24.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

26.50%

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

Last update for Legazpi: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $160 in Legazpi and $515 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 33% 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 Legazpi vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $240 per month, with Legazpi 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

Legazpi vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Legazpi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cebu earns 33% less. 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: $160 in Legazpi versus $515 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $751 per month in Legazpi versus $873 in Cebu – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $751 in Legazpi versus $873 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Legazpi but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Legazpi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Legazpi 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, Legazpi 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 Legazpi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.