Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pablo and Pagadian Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pablo and Pagadian

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $818 in San Pablo versus $783 in Pagadian.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,261 in San Pablo versus $1,091 in Pagadian.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,704 in San Pablo versus $1,398 in Pagadian.

Living in San Pablo is roughly 4% more expensive than Pagadian, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Pablo 39% lower, Pagadian 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 ₱292

$3.57 ₱217

34.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.99 ₱849

$17.62 ₱1,070

-20.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 ₱191

$3.25 ₱197

-3.38%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₱180

$2.91 ₱177

2.06%

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

$0.42 ₱25.54

$1.02 ₱61.8

-58.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₱15.70

$0.42 ₱25.61

-38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 ₱41.29

$1.09 ₱66.1

-37.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱130

$1.81 ₱110

18.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₱100

$1.79 ₱109

-7.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₱52.4

$1.07 ₱65.1

-19.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ₱44.93

$1.02 ₱62.2

-27.45%

Eggs

$2.02 ₱122

$2.02 ₱123

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.28 ₱321

$8.01 ₱486

-34.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ₱233

$5.04 ₱306

-24.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.25 ₱440

$5.95 ₱362

21.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 ₱261

$3.49 ₱212

23.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ₱65.9

$1.12 ₱68.1

-2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₱139

$3.36 ₱204

-31.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ₱103

$1.33 ₱80.8

27.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ₱87.8

$2.56 ₱155

-43.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ₱62.6

$3.33 ₱202

-69.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ₱52.6

$1.06 ₱64.3

-17.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱35.95

$0.73 ₱44.11

-19.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ₱154

$2.62 ₱159

-3.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 ₱401

$7.82 ₱475

-15.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₱68.0

$1.04 ₱63.0

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₱120

$1.49 ₱90.4

32.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.75

$0.26 ₱15.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.20 ₱437

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱49.51

$0.83 ₱50.6

-1.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.57

$0.22 ₱13.34

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱131

$2.19 ₱133

-1.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱66.2

$1.25 ₱76.2

-12.80%

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

$25.2K ₱1.5M

$26.3K ₱1.6M

-4.11%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

-2.78%

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

$161 ₱9,750

$93.5 ₱5,678

71.71%

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

$32.74 ₱1,988

$32.36 ₱1,965

1.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.40 ₱1,846

$27.61 ₱1,677

10.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.42 ₱2,090

$34.30 ₱2,082

0.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.31 ₱262

Cinema Ticket

$7.29 ₱442

$5.84 ₱355

24.83%

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

$82.5 ₱5,007

$154 ₱9,350

-46.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,787 ₱169.3K

$4,336 ₱263.3K

-35.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.66 ₱1,072

$45.71 ₱2,775

-61.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.22 ₱1,835

$26.69 ₱1,621

13.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 ₱5,890

$76.5 ₱4,643

26.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 ₱5,617

$52.5 ₱3,188

76.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ₱7,653

$112 ₱6,814

12.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱10.8K

$178 ₱10.8K

-0.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 ₱36.2K

$252 ₱15.3K

136.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₱23.8K

$152 ₱9,200

158.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,493 ₱151.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$886 ₱53.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$292 ₱17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

6.67

21.89%

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

Last update for San Pablo: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pagadian: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in San Pablo and $112 in Pagadian. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in San Pablo vs $18.00 in Pagadian for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $203 per month, with San Pablo 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 Pablo vs Pagadian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pablo and Pagadian differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($818 vs $783 including rent). Pagadian is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,227 in San Pablo and $1,174 in Pagadian 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: $126 in San Pablo versus $112 in Pagadian. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in San Pablo pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $818 per month in San Pablo versus $783 in Pagadian – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Pagadian gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, San Pablo and Pagadian 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 Pagadian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in San Pablo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.