Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Princesa and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Princesa: $705 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Puerto Princesa
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Puerto Princesa Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Puerto Princesa

🇵🇭 Philippines

$705

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $705 in Puerto Princesa versus $918 in Cebu.

Puerto Princesa $705
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,050 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Puerto Princesa $1,050
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,396 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Puerto Princesa $1,396
Cebu $1,900

Living in Puerto Princesa costs roughly 23% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Puerto Princesa 48% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.28 ₱269

$3.09 ₱194

38.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.84 ₱1,061

$24.22 ₱1,525

-30.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₱289

$3.92 ₱247

17.09%

Cappuccino

$2.34 ₱147

$2.51 ₱158

-6.77%

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

$0.88 ₱55.2

$1.59 ₱100

-44.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.91

$0.53 ₱33.43

-1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₱79.5

$1.78 ₱112

-29.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₱149

$2.17 ₱137

9.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.92 ₱121

-8.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₱64.4

$1.36 ₱85.4

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₱51.9

$1.01 ₱63.5

-18.81%

Eggs

$1.75 ₱110

$2.03 ₱128

-13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 ₱347

$9.86 ₱621

-44.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 ₱342

$4.39 ₱277

23.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.59 ₱415

$7.60 ₱479

-13.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ₱149

$3.30 ₱208

-28.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 ₱53.3

$1.39 ₱87.8

-38.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ₱151

$2.33 ₱147

3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₱71.6

$1.50 ₱94.3

-24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ₱96.4

$2.36 ₱149

-35.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ₱84.8

$1.90 ₱119

-28.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 ₱59.4

$1.19 ₱74.9

-21.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱43.92

$0.63 ₱39.71

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ₱180

$3.00 ₱189

-4.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 ₱458

$6.03 ₱379

20.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₱66.6

$1.23 ₱77.7

-13.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.8

$1.75 ₱110

-22.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.71

$0.25 ₱15.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.06 ₱697

$12.64 ₱796

-12.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.36

$0.77 ₱48.62

-3.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.17

$0.23 ₱14.53

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ₱123

$4.46 ₱281

-56.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 ₱63.7

$1.31 ₱82.8

-22.90%

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

$17.1K ₱1.1M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-19.54%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

-0.27%

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

$62.2 ₱3,915

$120 ₱7,569

-48.27%

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

$10.94 ₱689

$14.00 ₱882

-21.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.60 ₱1,549

$27.54 ₱1,734

-10.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.60 ₱2,052

$32.33 ₱2,035

0.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.75 ₱299

$6.65 ₱419

-28.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 ₱318

$5.65 ₱356

-10.62%

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

$133 ₱8,357

$275 ₱17.3K

-51.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,060 ₱507.5K

$7,918 ₱498.5K

1.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.45 ₱2,106

$49.33 ₱3,106

-32.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.50 ₱1,228

$25.24 ₱1,589

-22.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ₱4,478

$77.0 ₱4,846

-7.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.2 ₱3,541

$57.2 ₱3,601

-1.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₱17.8K

$500 ₱31.5K

-43.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 ₱12.7K

$309 ₱19.4K

-34.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 ₱32.7K

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-51.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ₱19.7K

$615 ₱38.7K

-49.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,404 ₱151.4K

$2,886 ₱181.7K

-16.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 ₱63.4K

$1,917 ₱120.7K

-47.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 ₱14.1K

$346 ₱21.8K

-35.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.12

7.2

12.78%

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

Last update for Puerto Princesa: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Puerto Princesa

$201 28.5%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 53.5% $108

Groceries & Markets

Puerto Princesa

$176 24.9%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 17.2% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Puerto Princesa

$98 13.9%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 65.5% $64

Eating Out

Puerto Princesa

$93 13.2%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 4.8% $4.4

Clothing & Footwear

Puerto Princesa

$81 11.5%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 15.8% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Puerto Princesa

$43 6.1%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 2.2% $0.9

Getting Around

Puerto Princesa

$14 2%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 12.5% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Puerto Princesa and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 55% 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 Puerto Princesa vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $206 per month, with Puerto Princesa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Puerto Princesa

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

16:48 4:48 PM

Same time as Puerto Princesa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

307,079

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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Between locations

Puerto Princesa Cebu 570 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Puerto Princesa
Cebu

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

Puerto Princesa vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Princesa is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 55% 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: $283 in Puerto Princesa versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $705 per month in Puerto Princesa versus $918 in Cebu – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Puerto Princesa runs roughly 14% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Puerto Princesa gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Puerto Princesa 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, Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.