Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaluyong and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaluyong and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $836 in Mandaluyong versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,310 in Mandaluyong versus $1,339 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,785 in Mandaluyong versus $1,805 in Cebu.

Living in Mandaluyong costs roughly 4% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mandaluyong 37% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.33 ₱328

$4.39 ₱270

21.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.08 ₱1,113

$24.30 ₱1,496

-25.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.39 ₱209

$4.53 ₱279

-25.17%

Cappuccino

$2.38 ₱146

$2.52 ₱155

-5.56%

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

$0.97 ₱59.5

$0.80 ₱49.42

21.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.54

$0.42 ₱25.97

19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 ₱92.2

$1.59 ₱97.7

-5.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.19 ₱135

22.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ₱113

$2.26 ₱139

-18.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ₱86.6

$1.51 ₱93.0

-6.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.0

$1.16 ₱71.6

-7.76%

Eggs

$2.21 ₱136

$2.36 ₱145

-6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 ₱575

$12.87 ₱792

-27.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 ₱325

$5.38 ₱331

-1.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.42 ₱519

$7.82 ₱481

7.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 ₱209

$3.53 ₱217

-3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ₱115

$1.51 ₱92.9

23.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 ₱213

$3.29 ₱203

5.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₱149

$2.20 ₱136

10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.64 ₱162

2.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 ₱195

$2.46 ₱152

28.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ₱43.99

$1.00 ₱61.4

-29.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₱40.32

$0.78 ₱48.06

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ₱199

$3.10 ₱191

4.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 ₱534

$6.43 ₱396

34.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₱88.5

$1.16 ₱71.7

24.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.24 ₱138

-5.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₱20.50

$0.26 ₱15.80

26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱946

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ₱52.5

$0.81 ₱49.81

4.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.79

$0.23 ₱14.06

17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱134

$2.64 ₱163

-17.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.10 ₱67.7

4.55%

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

$26.5K ₱1.6M

$30.5K ₱1.9M

-13.16%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$27.7K ₱1.7M

-25.64%

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

$138 ₱8,484

$95.9 ₱5,904

43.71%

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

$34.22 ₱2,107

$34.05 ₱2,096

0.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.61 ₱1,638

$29.86 ₱1,839

-10.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.84 ₱2,083

$33.32 ₱2,051

1.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.33 ₱267

$8.45 ₱520

-48.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₱407

$5.79 ₱357

14.16%

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

$150 ₱9,248

$235 ₱14.5K

-36.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,775 ₱294.0K

$3,913 ₱240.9K

22.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.68 ₱2,874

$53.1 ₱3,272

-12.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 ₱2,117

$22.65 ₱1,395

51.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 ₱4,595

$76.1 ₱4,685

-1.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.83 ₱2,822

$55.0 ₱3,383

-16.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$541 ₱33.3K

$508 ₱31.3K

6.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.7K

$210 ₱12.9K

-17.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 ₱36.5K

$800 ₱49.3K

-25.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 ₱23.8K

$389 ₱24.0K

-0.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,894 ₱178.2K

$3,013 ₱185.5K

-3.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ₱37.2K

$340 ₱20.9K

77.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-43.75%

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

Last update for Mandaluyong: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $541 in Mandaluyong and $508 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandaluyong pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Mandaluyong vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $241 per month, with Mandaluyong 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

Mandaluyong vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandaluyong is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 78% higher in Mandaluyong, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $541 in Mandaluyong versus $508 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $836 per month in Mandaluyong versus $873 in Cebu – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $836 in Mandaluyong versus $873 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaluyong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mandaluyong 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, Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.