Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasay and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasay and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $914 in Pasay versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,304 in Pasay versus $1,326 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,695 in Pasay versus $1,778 in Cebu.

Living in Pasay is roughly 5% more expensive than Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pasay 32% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 ₱292

$4.33 ₱267

9.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.00 ₱1,295

$24.14 ₱1,489

-13.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.01 ₱186

$4.36 ₱269

-30.96%

Cappuccino

$2.21 ₱136

$2.57 ₱159

-14.01%

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

$0.58 ₱35.54

$0.84 ₱52.1

-30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₱21.49

$0.43 ₱26.36

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₱63.7

$1.53 ₱94.5

-32.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₱91.0

$2.11 ₱130

-30.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₱123

$2.21 ₱137

-9.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱74.9

$1.50 ₱92.6

-19.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱57.9

$1.11 ₱68.7

-15.32%

Eggs

$2.02 ₱124

$2.33 ₱144

-13.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.86 ₱299

$13.03 ₱803

-62.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 ₱267

$5.35 ₱330

-19.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.66 ₱349

$7.50 ₱462

-24.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 ₱265

$3.57 ₱220

20.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₱95.5

$1.45 ₱89.4

6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 ₱155

$3.39 ₱209

-25.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ₱104

$2.18 ₱134

-22.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 ₱178

$2.59 ₱160

11.58%

Onion (1kg)

$4.00 ₱246

$2.48 ₱153

61.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$0.92 ₱56.6

57.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₱57.1

$0.79 ₱48.95

17.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₱201

$3.11 ₱192

4.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.11 ₱438

$6.52 ₱402

9.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₱60.6

$1.21 ₱74.4

-19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱70.8

$2.32 ₱143

-50.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.59

$0.28 ₱17.41

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱41.59

$0.84 ₱51.6

-20.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.75

$0.25 ₱15.45

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$2.69 ₱166

-19.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱69.9

$1.09 ₱67.1

3.67%

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

$12.7K ₱780.3K

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-57.96%

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

$15.9K ₱977.8K

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-41.26%

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

$112 ₱6,887

$95.4 ₱5,880

17.14%

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

$33.26 ₱2,051

$33.83 ₱2,086

-1.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.17 ₱1,860

$29.78 ₱1,836

1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.70 ₱2,201

$32.91 ₱2,029

8.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ₱365

$5.84 ₱360

1.37%

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

$81.6 ₱5,031

$233 ₱14.3K

-64.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,754 ₱169.8K

$3,894 ₱240.1K

-29.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.76 ₱1,959

$53.5 ₱3,297

-40.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.57 ₱1,083

$22.75 ₱1,403

-22.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,188

$76.7 ₱4,729

9.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ₱4,426

$54.5 ₱3,359

31.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 ₱25.1K

$515 ₱31.8K

-21.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ₱18.8K

$209 ₱12.9K

46.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 ₱90.9K

$805 ₱49.6K

83.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 ₱25.1K

$397 ₱24.5K

2.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 ₱116.3K

$2,955 ₱182.2K

-36.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 ₱36.4K

$1,923 ₱118.6K

-69.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$529 ₱32.6K

$364 ₱22.5K

45.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Pasay: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $406 in Pasay and $515 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pasay pays 45% 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: $21.00 in Pasay vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $240 per month, with Pasay 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

Pasay vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Pasay pays 45% more on average, 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: $406 in Pasay versus $515 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Pasay pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $914 per month in Pasay versus $873 in Cebu – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $873 in Cebu versus $914 in Pasay, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Pasay. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pasay, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Pasay 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Pasay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.