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: $707 in Pasig versus $936 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,193 in Pasig versus $1,427 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,680 in Pasig versus $1,918 in Cebu.

Living in Pasig costs roughly 24% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pasig 49% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 ₱253

$3.09 ₱193

30.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.10 ₱1,632

$23.80 ₱1,488

9.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.83 ₱177

$4.10 ₱257

-30.98%

Cappuccino

$2.30 ₱144

$2.60 ₱163

-11.54%

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

$0.71 ₱44.35

$1.55 ₱96.9

-54.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₱19.96

$0.54 ₱33.46

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₱73.6

$1.73 ₱108

-31.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₱175

$2.19 ₱137

27.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₱104

$1.92 ₱120

-13.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ₱72.4

$1.39 ₱87.1

-16.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.2

$0.97 ₱60.8

1.03%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱126

$2.00 ₱125

0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.47 ₱342

$9.93 ₱621

-44.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₱218

$4.38 ₱274

-20.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 ₱502

$7.41 ₱463

8.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ₱203

$3.46 ₱217

-6.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₱97.9

$1.47 ₱91.7

6.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 ₱185

$2.41 ₱151

22.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ₱109

$1.54 ₱96.5

13.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$2.36 ₱148

-2.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ₱168

$1.91 ₱119

40.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 ₱132

$1.24 ₱77.3

70.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱36.50

$0.66 ₱41.42

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₱186

$3.00 ₱188

-1.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 ₱616

$6.08 ₱380

62.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₱83.0

$1.31 ₱81.8

1.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱124

$1.73 ₱108

15.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱28.86

$0.25 ₱15.65

84.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.37

$0.75 ₱46.78

5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.07

$0.23 ₱14.41

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ₱122

$4.60 ₱288

-57.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱75.9

$1.34 ₱83.7

-9.70%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-0.05%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

-0.55%

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

$126 ₱7,849

$121 ₱7,564

3.78%

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

$17.83 ₱1,115

$14.86 ₱929

19.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.49 ₱1,531

$27.84 ₱1,741

-12.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.00 ₱1,938

$32.06 ₱2,005

-3.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.43 ₱402

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ₱404

$5.64 ₱352

14.36%

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

$133 ₱8,305

$273 ₱17.1K

-51.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,966 ₱560.6K

$8,017 ₱501.3K

11.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.54 ₱2,160

$48.77 ₱3,050

-29.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.18 ₱1,700

$25.49 ₱1,594

6.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ₱4,539

$78.1 ₱4,884

-7.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 ₱3,493

$57.8 ₱3,616

-3.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 ₱17.4K

$500 ₱31.3K

-44.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 ₱8,254

$300 ₱18.7K

-55.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 ₱32.3K

$1,089 ₱68.1K

-52.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ₱30.5K

$632 ₱39.5K

-22.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,346 ₱209.2K

$2,888 ₱180.6K

15.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,487 ₱155.5K

$1,877 ₱117.3K

32.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$445 ₱27.8K

$346 ₱21.7K

28.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

7.2

-6.25%

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

Last update for Pasig: September 1, 2026

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Pasig and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pasig pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Pasig vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 vs $208, 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

Pasig is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 29% higher in Pasig, 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: $278 in Pasig versus $500 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 $707 per month in Pasig versus $936 in Cebu – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $707 in Pasig versus $936 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pasig but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Pasig the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pasig 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, 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 Pasig gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.