Cost of Living Comparison Between Mambajao and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Mambajao and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $632 in Mambajao versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,001 in Mambajao versus $1,326 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,370 in Mambajao versus $1,778 in Cebu.

Living in Mambajao costs roughly 28% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mambajao 53% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 ₱95.6

$4.33 ₱267

-64.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.49 ₱1,634

$24.14 ₱1,489

9.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 ₱272

$4.36 ₱269

1.15%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ₱187

$2.57 ₱159

18.29%

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

$1.41 ₱86.9

$0.84 ₱52.1

67.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.77

$0.43 ₱26.36

79.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ₱69.2

$1.53 ₱94.5

-26.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.11 ₱130

28.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱82.0

$2.21 ₱137

-39.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₱55.9

$1.50 ₱92.6

-39.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₱54.1

$1.11 ₱68.7

-20.72%

Eggs

$1.41 ₱87.0

$2.33 ₱144

-39.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 ₱490

$13.03 ₱803

-39.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 ₱260

$5.35 ₱330

-21.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 ₱405

$7.50 ₱462

-12.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱184

$3.57 ₱220

-16.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 ₱83.0

$1.45 ₱89.4

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$3.39 ₱209

-20.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ₱98.3

$2.18 ₱134

-27.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 ₱147

$2.59 ₱160

-7.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ₱161

$2.48 ₱153

4.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱68.9

$0.92 ₱56.6

21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.64

$0.79 ₱48.95

-8.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₱180

$3.11 ₱192

-6.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.16 ₱503

$6.52 ₱402

25.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₱66.2

$1.21 ₱74.4

-11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱80.3

$2.32 ₱143

-43.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₱12.31

$0.28 ₱17.41

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.4

$0.84 ₱51.6

-2.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.52

$0.25 ₱15.45

-12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱134

$2.69 ₱166

-19.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₱86.8

$1.09 ₱67.1

29.36%

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

$27.1K ₱1.7M

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-9.98%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-25.24%

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

$84.0 ₱5,181

$95.4 ₱5,880

-11.88%

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

$32.13 ₱1,981

$33.83 ₱2,086

-5.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.09 ₱1,362

$29.78 ₱1,836

-25.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.64 ₱2,074

$32.91 ₱2,029

2.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 ₱277

$8.43 ₱520

-46.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 ₱362

$5.84 ₱360

0.51%

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

$150 ₱9,227

$233 ₱14.3K

-35.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,285 ₱264.2K

$3,894 ₱240.1K

10.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.28 ₱2,792

$53.5 ₱3,297

-15.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.22 ₱1,617

$22.75 ₱1,403

15.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ₱4,648

$76.7 ₱4,729

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 ₱3,284

$54.5 ₱3,359

-2.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$132 ₱8,138

$515 ₱31.8K

-74.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 ₱5,363

$209 ₱12.9K

-58.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 ₱18.1K

$805 ₱49.6K

-63.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 ₱11.8K

$397 ₱24.5K

-51.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,460 ₱151.7K

$2,955 ₱182.2K

-16.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$885 ₱54.6K

$1,923 ₱118.6K

-53.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$154 ₱9,498

$364 ₱22.5K

-57.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-16.63%

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

Last update for Mambajao: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $132 in Mambajao and $515 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 136% 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: $26.00 in Mambajao vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $240, with Mambajao 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

Mambajao vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mambajao is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cebu earns 136% 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: $132 in Mambajao versus $515 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $632 per month in Mambajao versus $873 in Cebu – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $632 in Mambajao versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mambajao but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Mambajao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mambajao 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, Mambajao 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 Mambajao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.