Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Princesa and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Princesa and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $809 in Puerto Princesa versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,180 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,326 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,778 in Cebu.

Living in Puerto Princesa costs roughly 7% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Puerto Princesa 40% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 ₱253

$4.33 ₱267

-5.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.71 ₱1,647

$24.14 ₱1,489

10.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 ₱263

$4.36 ₱269

-2.06%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ₱152

$2.57 ₱159

-4.28%

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

$0.68 ₱41.75

$0.84 ₱52.1

-19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.46

$0.43 ₱26.36

-11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₱77.5

$1.53 ₱94.5

-17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱106

$2.11 ₱130

-18.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$2.21 ₱137

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱72.1

$1.50 ₱92.6

-22.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₱51.8

$1.11 ₱68.7

-24.32%

Eggs

$1.88 ₱116

$2.33 ₱144

-19.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 ₱544

$13.03 ₱803

-32.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 ₱310

$5.35 ₱330

-5.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 ₱384

$7.50 ₱462

-16.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 ₱216

$3.57 ₱220

-1.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ₱57.3

$1.45 ₱89.4

-35.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 ₱214

$3.39 ₱209

2.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 ₱55.6

$2.18 ₱134

-58.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$2.59 ₱160

-30.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ₱84.4

$2.48 ₱153

-44.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 ₱64.6

$0.92 ₱56.6

14.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₱45.28

$0.79 ₱48.95

-7.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₱182

$3.11 ₱192

-5.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.18 ₱443

$6.52 ₱402

10.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱69.6

$1.21 ₱74.4

-6.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₱111

$2.32 ₱143

-22.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.47

$0.28 ₱17.41

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ₱112

$0.84 ₱51.6

115.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.50

$0.25 ₱15.45

-12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱129

$2.69 ₱166

-21.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱74.7

$1.09 ₱67.1

11.01%

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

$14.4K ₱890.6K

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-52.01%

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

$20.4K ₱1.3M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-24.35%

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

$122 ₱7,495

$95.4 ₱5,880

27.45%

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

$13.69 ₱844

$33.83 ₱2,086

-59.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.56 ₱2,131

$29.78 ₱1,836

16.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.23 ₱1,618

$32.91 ₱2,029

-20.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.33 ₱267

$8.43 ₱520

-48.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.30 ₱327

$5.84 ₱360

-9.25%

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

$62.5 ₱3,856

$233 ₱14.3K

-73.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,255 ₱262.4K

$3,894 ₱240.1K

9.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.30 ₱2,793

$53.5 ₱3,297

-15.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.63 ₱1,642

$22.75 ₱1,403

17.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 ₱4,640

$76.7 ₱4,729

-1.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 ₱3,222

$54.5 ₱3,359

-4.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 ₱18.0K

$515 ₱31.8K

-43.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 ₱14.0K

$209 ₱12.9K

9.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₱27.0K

$805 ₱49.6K

-45.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 ₱19.4K

$397 ₱24.5K

-20.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ₱149.1K

$2,955 ₱182.2K

-18.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$970 ₱59.8K

$1,923 ₱118.6K

-49.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 ₱13.7K

$364 ₱22.5K

-38.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

3.13%

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

Last update for Puerto Princesa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $291 in Puerto Princesa and $515 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 64% 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: $27.00 in Puerto Princesa vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $240, with Puerto Princesa 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

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

Puerto Princesa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cebu earns 64% less. 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: $291 in Puerto Princesa 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 $809 per month in Puerto Princesa versus $873 in Cebu – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $809 in Puerto Princesa versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Puerto Princesa but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Princesa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 8% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.