Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Marawi and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Marawi: $727 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Marawi
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Marawi Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

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Marawi

🇵🇭 Philippines

$727

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Marawi and in Cebu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Marawi and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $727 in Marawi versus $918 in Cebu.

Marawi $727
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,104 in Marawi versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Marawi $1,104
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,481 in Marawi versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Marawi $1,481
Cebu $1,900

Living in Marawi costs roughly 21% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Marawi 46% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 ₱250

$3.09 ₱195

28.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.84 ₱1,061

$24.22 ₱1,525

-30.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.72 ₱172

$3.92 ₱247

-30.61%

Cappuccino

$2.20 ₱139

$2.51 ₱158

-12.35%

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

$0.61 ₱38.67

$1.59 ₱100

-61.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱21.04

$0.53 ₱33.45

-37.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₱67.2

$1.78 ₱112

-39.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱133

$2.17 ₱137

-2.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ₱101

$1.92 ₱121

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ₱69.2

$1.36 ₱85.5

-19.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱60.8

$1.01 ₱63.6

-3.96%

Eggs

$1.97 ₱124

$2.03 ₱128

-2.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.45 ₱343

$9.86 ₱621

-44.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 ₱264

$4.39 ₱277

-4.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 ₱434

$7.60 ₱479

-9.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 ₱155

$3.30 ₱208

-25.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₱102

$1.39 ₱87.8

15.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱152

$2.33 ₱147

3.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₱71.2

$1.50 ₱94.3

-24.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 ₱121

$2.36 ₱149

-18.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 ₱128

$1.90 ₱119

6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱57.9

$1.19 ₱74.9

-22.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱36.34

$0.63 ₱39.73

-7.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱164

$3.00 ₱189

-13.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 ₱486

$6.03 ₱380

27.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₱65.8

$1.23 ₱77.7

-15.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₱124

$1.75 ₱110

12.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.78

$0.25 ₱15.87

-12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.71 ₱801

$12.64 ₱796

0.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.67

$0.77 ₱48.64

-3.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.04

$0.23 ₱14.54

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 ₱136

$4.46 ₱281

-51.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₱74.8

$1.31 ₱82.8

-9.16%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-3.25%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

-0.82%

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

$119 ₱7,469

$120 ₱7,573

-1.37%

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

$17.08 ₱1,076

$14.00 ₱882

22.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.37 ₱1,535

$27.54 ₱1,735

-11.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.56 ₱1,925

$32.33 ₱2,036

-5.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.56 ₱287

$6.65 ₱419

-31.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 ₱286

$5.65 ₱356

-19.47%

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

$132 ₱8,343

$275 ₱17.3K

-51.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,903 ₱497.8K

$7,918 ₱498.8K

-0.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.59 ₱2,053

$49.33 ₱3,107

-33.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.71 ₱1,241

$25.24 ₱1,590

-21.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 ₱4,439

$77.0 ₱4,848

-8.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.8 ₱3,454

$57.2 ₱3,603

-4.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱17.1K

$500 ₱31.5K

-45.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₱10.9K

$309 ₱19.5K

-43.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 ₱32.4K

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-52.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 ₱21.9K

$615 ₱38.8K

-43.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,286 ₱144.0K

$2,886 ₱181.8K

-20.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$989 ₱62.3K

$1,917 ₱120.7K

-48.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$289 ₱18.2K

$346 ₱21.8K

-16.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

7.2

-5.69%

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

Last update for Marawi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Marawi

$179 24.6%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 15% $27

Accommodation & Living

Marawi

$173 23.8%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 78.5% $136

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Marawi

$160 22%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 1.1% $1.7

Clothing & Footwear

Marawi

$80 11%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 17.5% $14

Eating Out

Marawi

$80 11%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 10.7% $8.6

Sport & Entertainment

Marawi

$40 5.5%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 10% $4

Getting Around

Marawi

$16 2.1%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 0.3% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $272 in Marawi and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 20% 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: $17.00 in Marawi vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $206 per month, with Marawi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Marawi

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

03:59 3:59 AM

Same time as Marawi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

207,010

964,169

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Marawi Cebu 260 km

From you

Marawi
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Marawi vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marawi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Cebu. 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: $272 in Marawi versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $727 per month in Marawi versus $918 in Cebu – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Marawi runs roughly 1% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Marawi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Marawi 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, Marawi 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 Marawi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.