Cost of Living Comparison Between Ozamiz and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Ozamiz and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $767 in Ozamiz versus $879 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,202 in Ozamiz versus $1,347 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,636 in Ozamiz versus $1,815 in Cebu.

Living in Ozamiz costs roughly 13% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ozamiz 42% lower, Cebu 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 ₱216

$4.34 ₱266

-18.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.62 ₱1,078

$23.95 ₱1,466

-26.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.24 ₱198

$4.48 ₱274

-27.68%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ₱147

$2.58 ₱158

-7.36%

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

$0.78 ₱47.63

$0.78 ₱47.91

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱24.04

$0.45 ₱27.71

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₱83.2

$1.52 ₱93.0

-10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱128

$2.15 ₱131

-2.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ₱107

$2.31 ₱142

-24.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ₱49.92

$1.53 ₱93.4

-46.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 ₱54.5

$1.17 ₱71.9

-23.93%

Eggs

$1.62 ₱99.1

$2.35 ₱144

-31.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 ₱498

$12.68 ₱776

-35.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 ₱253

$5.26 ₱322

-21.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.56 ₱463

$7.88 ₱482

-4.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 ₱175

$3.48 ₱213

-17.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ₱96.9

$1.46 ₱89.5

8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱166

$3.32 ₱203

-18.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ₱99.2

$2.27 ₱139

-28.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 ₱135

$2.66 ₱163

-16.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ₱158

$2.45 ₱150

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱65.2

$0.93 ₱56.8

15.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₱46.06

$0.79 ₱48.49

-5.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 ₱170

$3.12 ₱191

-10.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.02 ₱430

$6.37 ₱390

10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱70.5

$1.19 ₱73.0

-3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱120

$2.25 ₱138

-12.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.29

$0.26 ₱15.91

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.85 ₱909

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.78

$0.87 ₱53.1

-6.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.77

$0.23 ₱14.04

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₱129

$2.70 ₱165

-21.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱66.7

$1.11 ₱67.8

-1.80%

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

$26.3K ₱1.6M

$30.0K ₱1.8M

-12.25%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$26.8K ₱1.6M

-23.38%

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

$115 ₱7,012

$96.9 ₱5,928

18.28%

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

$32.93 ₱2,016

$34.35 ₱2,103

-4.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.89 ₱1,708

$29.65 ₱1,815

-5.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.75 ₱2,066

$33.03 ₱2,022

2.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.36 ₱267

$8.50 ₱520

-48.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 ₱360

$5.82 ₱356

1.20%

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

$153 ₱9,395

$227 ₱13.9K

-32.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,238 ₱259.4K

$3,968 ₱242.9K

6.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.60 ₱2,853

$53.3 ₱3,263

-12.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.13 ₱1,600

$23.14 ₱1,417

12.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 ₱4,669

$74.7 ₱4,570

2.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 ₱3,295

$54.5 ₱3,336

-1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.5K

$515 ₱31.5K

-47.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₱10.9K

$217 ₱13.3K

-17.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 ₱36.4K

$785 ₱48.1K

-24.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.3K

$388 ₱23.8K

2.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,151 ₱131.7K

$2,908 ₱178.0K

-26.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$928 ₱56.8K

$1,911 ₱117.0K

-51.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$194 ₱11.9K

$346 ₱21.2K

-43.80%

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 Ozamiz: July 26, 2026

Last update for Cebu: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Ozamiz and $515 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 78% 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: $18.00 in Ozamiz vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $241 per month, with Ozamiz 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

Ozamiz vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ozamiz is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 78% 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: $269 in Ozamiz versus $515 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $767 per month in Ozamiz versus $879 in Cebu – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $767 in Ozamiz versus $879 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ozamiz but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Ozamiz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ozamiz 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, Ozamiz 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 Ozamiz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.