Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando, La Union and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando, La Union and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $742 in San Fernando, La Union versus $936 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,125 in San Fernando, La Union versus $1,427 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,508 in San Fernando, La Union versus $1,918 in Cebu.

Living in San Fernando, La Union costs roughly 21% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Fernando, La Union 46% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 ₱230

$3.09 ₱193

19.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.76 ₱1,110

$23.80 ₱1,488

-25.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.98 ₱187

$4.10 ₱257

-27.32%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ₱131

$2.60 ₱163

-19.23%

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

$0.54 ₱33.72

$1.55 ₱96.9

-65.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱18.80

$0.54 ₱33.46

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 ₱71.9

$1.73 ₱108

-33.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ₱120

$2.19 ₱137

-12.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ₱101

$1.92 ₱120

-15.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₱69.7

$1.39 ₱87.1

-20.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 ₱50.1

$0.97 ₱60.8

-17.53%

Eggs

$1.84 ₱115

$2.00 ₱125

-8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.35 ₱335

$9.93 ₱621

-46.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 ₱299

$4.38 ₱274

9.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.72 ₱420

$7.41 ₱463

-9.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ₱149

$3.46 ₱217

-31.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱95.3

$1.47 ₱91.7

3.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱169

$2.41 ₱151

12.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.8

$1.54 ₱96.5

-30.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$2.36 ₱148

-2.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 ₱138

$1.91 ₱119

15.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₱45.59

$1.24 ₱77.3

-41.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₱29.22

$0.66 ₱41.42

-28.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 ₱499

$6.08 ₱380

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₱55.3

$1.31 ₱81.8

-32.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱128

$1.73 ₱108

18.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₱18.49

$0.25 ₱15.65

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.88 ₱680

$12.73 ₱796

-14.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.1

$0.75 ₱46.78

10.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.80

$0.23 ₱14.41

-13.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱118

$4.60 ₱288

-59.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ₱63.9

$1.34 ₱83.7

-23.88%

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

$22.1K ₱1.4M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

1.56%

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

$18.4K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

-5.19%

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

$114 ₱7,127

$121 ₱7,564

-5.78%

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

$14.51 ₱907

$14.86 ₱929

-2.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.15 ₱1,447

$27.84 ₱1,741

-16.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.64 ₱1,979

$32.06 ₱2,005

-1.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.58 ₱286

$6.43 ₱402

-28.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.83 ₱364

$5.64 ₱352

3.37%

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

$127 ₱7,924

$273 ₱17.1K

-53.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,163 ₱447.9K

$8,017 ₱501.3K

-10.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 ₱1,752

$48.77 ₱3,050

-42.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.61 ₱1,164

$25.49 ₱1,594

-26.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ₱4,512

$78.1 ₱4,884

-7.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 ₱3,472

$57.8 ₱3,616

-3.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.6K

$500 ₱31.3K

-46.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 ₱10.8K

$300 ₱18.7K

-42.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₱31.2K

$1,089 ₱68.1K

-54.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₱22.0K

$632 ₱39.5K

-44.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,781 ₱173.9K

$2,888 ₱180.6K

-3.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,106 ₱69.1K

$1,877 ₱117.3K

-41.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

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 San Fernando, La Union: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $265 in San Fernando, La Union and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in San Fernando, La Union vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $208 per month, with San Fernando, La Union 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

San Fernando, La Union vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Fernando, La Union is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,113 in San Fernando, La Union and $1,404 in Cebu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $265 in San Fernando, La Union versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $742 per month in San Fernando, La Union versus $936 in Cebu – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in San Fernando, La Union runs roughly 17% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $742 in San Fernando, La Union versus $936 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Fernando, La Union but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando, La Union the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Fernando, La Union 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, San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.