Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasig and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasig and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $881 in Pasig versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,401 in Pasig versus $1,326 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,922 in Pasig versus $1,778 in Cebu.

Living in Pasig is roughly 1% more expensive than Cebu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pasig 34% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 ₱270

$4.33 ₱267

1.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.46 ₱1,631

$24.14 ₱1,489

9.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.34 ₱206

$4.36 ₱269

-23.39%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ₱169

$2.57 ₱159

6.61%

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

$0.70 ₱43.14

$0.84 ₱52.1

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.86

$0.43 ₱26.36

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ₱91.0

$1.53 ₱94.5

-3.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₱162

$2.11 ₱130

24.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ₱114

$2.21 ₱137

-15.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ₱82.4

$1.50 ₱92.6

-10.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.3

$1.11 ₱68.7

-2.70%

Eggs

$2.21 ₱136

$2.33 ₱144

-5.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.43 ₱582

$13.03 ₱803

-27.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 ₱257

$5.35 ₱330

-22.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 ₱527

$7.50 ₱462

14.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 ₱215

$3.57 ₱220

-2.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 ₱115

$1.45 ₱89.4

28.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 ₱225

$3.39 ₱209

7.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 ₱107

$2.18 ₱134

-20.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ₱170

$2.59 ₱160

6.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 ₱189

$2.48 ₱153

23.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 ₱121

$0.92 ₱56.6

114.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₱46.50

$0.79 ₱48.95

-5.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.21 ₱198

$3.11 ₱192

3.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.43 ₱582

$6.52 ₱402

44.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.21 ₱74.4

23.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₱131

$2.32 ₱143

-8.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.90

$0.28 ₱17.41

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.15 ₱379

$15.00 ₱925

-59.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₱54.0

$0.84 ₱51.6

4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.80

$0.25 ₱15.45

-4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱128

$2.69 ₱166

-22.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.3

$1.09 ₱67.1

4.59%

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

$26.1K ₱1.6M

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-13.13%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-23.66%

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

$139 ₱8,572

$95.4 ₱5,880

45.78%

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

$34.34 ₱2,117

$33.83 ₱2,086

1.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.80 ₱1,714

$29.78 ₱1,836

-6.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.59 ₱2,071

$32.91 ₱2,029

2.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.34 ₱268

$8.43 ₱520

-48.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 ₱391

$5.84 ₱360

8.56%

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

$150 ₱9,263

$233 ₱14.3K

-35.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,758 ₱293.4K

$3,894 ₱240.1K

22.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.56 ₱3,056

$53.5 ₱3,297

-7.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.68 ₱2,138

$22.75 ₱1,403

52.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 ₱4,610

$76.7 ₱4,729

-2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.99 ₱2,897

$54.5 ₱3,359

-13.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₱21.7K

$515 ₱31.8K

-31.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ₱12.0K

$209 ₱12.9K

-6.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 ₱36.8K

$805 ₱49.6K

-25.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ₱31.0K

$397 ₱24.5K

26.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,317 ₱204.5K

$2,955 ₱182.2K

12.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,601 ₱160.4K

$1,923 ₱118.6K

35.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$452 ₱27.9K

$364 ₱22.5K

24.10%

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 Pasig: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $352 in Pasig and $515 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pasig pays 24% 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 Pasig vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $240, with Pasig 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

Pasig vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Pasig pays 24% 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: $352 in Pasig versus $515 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $881 per month in Pasig versus $873 in Cebu – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 144% less than in Pasig. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $873 in Cebu versus $881 in Pasig, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Pasig. 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 Pasig, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Pasig 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 1% less than in Pasig. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.