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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $710 in San Pedro versus $931 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,068 in San Pedro versus $1,439 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,425 in San Pedro versus $1,947 in Cebu.

Living in San Pedro costs roughly 24% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Pedro 48% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ₱252

$3.05 ₱191

31.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.37 ₱1,029

$23.09 ₱1,451

-29.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.87 ₱180

$4.03 ₱253

-28.78%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ₱113

$2.58 ₱162

-30.62%

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

$0.56 ₱35.31

$1.53 ₱96.1

-63.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱21.08

$0.53 ₱33.37

-35.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₱61.4

$1.71 ₱108

-42.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₱98.2

$2.27 ₱143

-31.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ₱105

$1.87 ₱118

-10.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$1.34 ₱84.2

-14.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱59.3

$1.02 ₱64.3

-7.84%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱126

$1.96 ₱123

2.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.99 ₱314

$9.93 ₱624

-49.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ₱215

$4.58 ₱288

-25.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 ₱427

$7.45 ₱468

-8.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$3.46 ₱217

-33.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₱101

$1.45 ₱91.4

11.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ₱149

$2.39 ₱150

-0.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$1.55 ₱97.6

-34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱109

$2.31 ₱145

-25.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 ₱108

$1.88 ₱118

-8.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₱39.15

$1.23 ₱77.2

-49.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.85

$0.62 ₱39.16

-20.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ₱186

$3.01 ₱189

-1.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.82 ₱554

$6.13 ₱385

43.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.9

$1.29 ₱81.3

-23.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₱131

$1.70 ₱107

22.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.94

$0.25 ₱15.74

-12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.91 ₱749

$12.35 ₱776

-3.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.4

$0.79 ₱49.81

3.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.20 ₱12.54

5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$4.40 ₱276

-55.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₱75.2

$1.31 ₱82.2

-8.40%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

-0.10%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

-2.46%

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

$124 ₱7,801

$122 ₱7,694

1.40%

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

$15.32 ₱963

$15.08 ₱948

1.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.32 ₱1,465

$28.10 ₱1,765

-17.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.65 ₱1,800

$31.67 ₱1,990

-9.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.22 ₱328

$6.65 ₱418

-21.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 ₱318

$5.40 ₱339

-6.48%

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

$133 ₱8,347

$278 ₱17.5K

-52.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,826 ₱554.5K

$7,849 ₱493.1K

12.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.74 ₱1,806

$48.20 ₱3,028

-40.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.14 ₱1,203

$25.32 ₱1,591

-24.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 ₱4,571

$76.3 ₱4,790

-4.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 ₱3,526

$58.1 ₱3,649

-3.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 ₱16.3K

$489 ₱30.7K

-46.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ₱11.4K

$307 ₱19.3K

-41.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ₱27.9K

$1,075 ₱67.5K

-58.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ₱19.7K

$636 ₱39.9K

-50.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,714 ₱170.5K

$2,871 ₱180.4K

-5.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,144 ₱71.9K

$1,912 ₱120.1K

-40.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$306 ₱19.2K

$335 ₱21.0K

-8.48%

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 Pedro: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cebu: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $260 in San Pedro and $489 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 9% 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: $16.00 in San Pedro vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $208 per month, with San Pedro 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 Pedro vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pedro is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% 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: $260 in San Pedro versus $489 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $710 per month in San Pedro versus $931 in Cebu – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in San Pedro runs roughly 4% 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 San Pedro gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, San Pedro 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 Pedro 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 Pedro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.