Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $743 in San Juan versus $936 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,133 in San Juan versus $1,427 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,523 in San Juan versus $1,918 in Cebu.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 ₱247

$3.09 ₱193

27.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.14 ₱1,072

$23.80 ₱1,488

-27.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.83 ₱177

$4.10 ₱257

-30.98%

Cappuccino

$2.70 ₱169

$2.60 ₱163

3.85%

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

$0.65 ₱40.74

$1.55 ₱96.9

-58.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₱19.91

$0.54 ₱33.46

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₱67.0

$1.73 ₱108

-38.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₱98.1

$2.19 ₱137

-28.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ₱107

$1.92 ₱120

-11.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ₱72.7

$1.39 ₱87.1

-16.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₱53.7

$0.97 ₱60.8

-11.34%

Eggs

$1.75 ₱109

$2.00 ₱125

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.19 ₱324

$9.93 ₱621

-47.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 ₱212

$4.38 ₱274

-22.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.93 ₱433

$7.41 ₱463

-6.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ₱138

$3.46 ₱217

-36.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 ₱86.3

$1.47 ₱91.7

-6.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$2.41 ₱151

-4.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.5

$1.54 ₱96.5

-31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 ₱109

$2.36 ₱148

-25.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ₱113

$1.91 ₱119

-5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₱38.26

$1.24 ₱77.3

-50.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱58.7

$0.66 ₱41.42

42.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 ₱174

$3.00 ₱188

-7.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 ₱488

$6.08 ₱380

28.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₱57.0

$1.31 ₱81.8

-30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₱111

$1.73 ₱108

2.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.06

$0.25 ₱15.65

4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ₱733

$12.73 ₱796

-7.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.89

$0.75 ₱46.78

4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.44

$0.23 ₱14.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱119

$4.60 ₱288

-58.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₱74.1

$1.34 ₱83.7

-11.19%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-3.34%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

-0.47%

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

$143 ₱8,921

$121 ₱7,564

17.94%

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

$14.55 ₱910

$14.86 ₱929

-2.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.89 ₱1,556

$27.84 ₱1,741

-10.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.36 ₱2,274

$32.06 ₱2,005

13.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.21 ₱326

$6.43 ₱402

-18.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 ₱317

$5.64 ₱352

-10.11%

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

$74.3 ₱4,648

$273 ₱17.1K

-72.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,529 ₱158.1K

$8,017 ₱501.3K

-68.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.06 ₱1,817

$48.77 ₱3,050

-40.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.29 ₱1,206

$25.49 ₱1,594

-24.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 ₱4,589

$78.1 ₱4,884

-6.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 ₱3,450

$57.8 ₱3,616

-4.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 ₱17.4K

$500 ₱31.3K

-44.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 ₱10.7K

$300 ₱18.7K

-42.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.6K

$1,089 ₱68.1K

-53.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₱18.7K

$632 ₱39.5K

-52.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,335 ₱146.0K

$2,888 ₱180.6K

-19.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$998 ₱62.4K

$1,877 ₱117.3K

-46.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$237 ₱14.8K

$346 ₱21.7K

-31.62%

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 Juan: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in San Juan and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 46% 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 San Juan vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $208 per month, with San Juan 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 Juan vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 46% 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: $279 in San Juan versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $743 per month in San Juan 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 Juan runs roughly 9% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $743 in San Juan versus $936 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Juan 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 Juan 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 Juan 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.