Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz, Laguna and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz, Laguna and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $635 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $924 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $974 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $1,414 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,313 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $1,905 in Cebu.

Living in Santa Cruz, Laguna costs roughly 31% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Cruz, Laguna 54% lower, Cebu 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.64 ₱102

$3.07 ₱191

-46.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.96 ₱497

$23.18 ₱1,445

-65.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.77 ₱173

$4.04 ₱252

-31.44%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₱111

$2.49 ₱155

-28.51%

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

$0.42 ₱26.14

$1.52 ₱94.8

-72.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ₱14.30

$0.49 ₱30.54

-53.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₱64.0

$1.80 ₱112

-42.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₱57.8

$2.29 ₱143

-59.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ₱102

$1.92 ₱120

-14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱69.7

$1.39 ₱86.8

-19.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱58.6

$1.01 ₱63.2

-6.93%

Eggs

$1.56 ₱97.1

$2.03 ₱126

-23.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.75 ₱296

$9.87 ₱616

-51.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ₱218

$4.52 ₱282

-22.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.29 ₱455

$7.59 ₱474

-3.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ₱92.4

$3.34 ₱208

-55.69%

Banana (1kg)

$0.50 ₱31.15

$1.40 ₱87.2

-64.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ₱91.9

$2.41 ₱150

-39.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₱67.2

$1.55 ₱96.6

-30.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 ₱106

$2.46 ₱153

-30.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 ₱109

$1.91 ₱119

-8.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ₱39.03

$1.23 ₱76.5

-48.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.86

$0.62 ₱38.60

-14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₱186

$2.87 ₱179

3.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.65 ₱539

$6.30 ₱393

37.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₱57.9

$1.30 ₱80.8

-28.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱126

$1.75 ₱109

14.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.51

$0.23 ₱14.22

8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.30 ₱705

$12.66 ₱790

-10.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.17

$0.75 ₱46.55

5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.59

$0.23 ₱14.34

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱118

$4.33 ₱270

-56.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱75.6

$1.26 ₱78.9

-3.97%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

-0.22%

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

$19.2K ₱1.2M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

-2.14%

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

$87.6 ₱5,460

$121 ₱7,546

-27.64%

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

$17.87 ₱1,114

$15.07 ₱940

18.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.16 ₱1,444

$27.29 ₱1,702

-15.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.24 ₱2,011

$32.26 ₱2,012

-0.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.72 ₱294

$6.38 ₱398

-26.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 ₱333

$5.63 ₱351

-5.15%

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

$132 ₱8,260

$281 ₱17.5K

-52.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₱668.8K

$8,117 ₱506.2K

32.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.47 ₱1,838

$49.04 ₱3,058

-39.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.28 ₱1,202

$24.72 ₱1,542

-22.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 ₱4,419

$77.9 ₱4,860

-9.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 ₱3,499

$58.3 ₱3,637

-3.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 ₱17.0K

$503 ₱31.4K

-45.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.9K

$307 ₱19.1K

-43.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.2K

$1,086 ₱67.7K

-53.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₱22.1K

$632 ₱39.4K

-43.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,640 ₱164.6K

$2,868 ₱178.9K

-7.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,024 ₱63.9K

$1,891 ₱117.9K

-45.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.6K

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 Santa Cruz, Laguna: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cebu: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $273 in Santa Cruz, Laguna and $503 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $8.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $156 vs $209 per month, with Santa Cruz, Laguna 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

Santa Cruz, Laguna vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Cruz, Laguna is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $953 in Santa Cruz, Laguna and $1,386 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: $273 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $503 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $635 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $924 in Cebu – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Santa Cruz, Laguna runs roughly 12% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $635 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $924 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz, Laguna but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz, Laguna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Santa Cruz, Laguna 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, Santa Cruz, Laguna 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.