Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rosa and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rosa and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $749 in Santa Rosa versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,146 in Santa Rosa versus $1,339 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,543 in Santa Rosa versus $1,805 in Cebu.

Living in Santa Rosa costs roughly 14% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Rosa 44% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 ₱170

$4.39 ₱270

-37.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.63 ₱1,332

$24.30 ₱1,496

-10.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.03 ₱187

$4.53 ₱279

-33.11%

Cappuccino

$1.26 ₱77.9

$2.52 ₱155

-50.00%

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

$0.40 ₱24.89

$0.80 ₱49.42

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₱17.39

$0.42 ₱25.97

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ₱78.2

$1.59 ₱97.7

-20.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ₱86.6

$2.19 ₱135

-35.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ₱129

$2.26 ₱139

-7.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱74.5

$1.51 ₱93.0

-19.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱69.0

$1.16 ₱71.6

-3.45%

Eggs

$1.80 ₱111

$2.36 ₱145

-23.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 ₱427

$12.87 ₱792

-46.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 ₱258

$5.38 ₱331

-21.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 ₱441

$7.82 ₱481

-8.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 ₱275

$3.53 ₱217

26.63%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 ₱56.7

$1.51 ₱92.9

-39.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 ₱180

$3.29 ₱203

-11.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₱101

$2.20 ₱136

-25.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 ₱176

$2.64 ₱162

8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$4.08 ₱251

$2.46 ₱152

65.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ₱97.8

$1.00 ₱61.4

59.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₱62.4

$0.78 ₱48.06

29.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₱197

$3.10 ₱191

3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 ₱554

$6.43 ₱396

39.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱95.1

$1.16 ₱71.7

32.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱122

$2.24 ₱138

-11.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.00

$0.26 ₱15.80

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱946

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.24

$0.81 ₱49.81

-3.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.82

$0.23 ₱14.06

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.64 ₱163

-20.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.10 ₱67.7

-0.91%

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

$25.8K ₱1.6M

$30.5K ₱1.9M

-15.20%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$27.7K ₱1.7M

-25.77%

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

$52.5 ₱3,230

$95.9 ₱5,904

-45.29%

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

$33.43 ₱2,058

$34.05 ₱2,096

-1.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.79 ₱1,773

$29.86 ₱1,839

-3.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.44 ₱2,059

$33.32 ₱2,051

0.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.45 ₱274

$8.45 ₱520

-47.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.17 ₱442

$5.79 ₱357

23.83%

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

$81.2 ₱4,999

$235 ₱14.5K

-65.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,799 ₱172.3K

$3,913 ₱240.9K

-28.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.18 ₱1,981

$53.1 ₱3,272

-39.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 ₱1,836

$22.65 ₱1,395

31.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 ₱6,068

$76.1 ₱4,685

29.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 ₱5,728

$55.0 ₱3,383

69.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 ₱15.5K

$508 ₱31.3K

-50.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.7K

$210 ₱12.9K

-17.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.4K

$800 ₱49.3K

-50.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 ₱17.3K

$389 ₱24.0K

-27.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 ₱157.0K

$3,013 ₱185.5K

-15.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 ₱59.6K

$1,950 ₱120.1K

-50.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$148 ₱9,096

$340 ₱20.9K

-56.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

1.63%

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

Last update for Santa Rosa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $252 in Santa Rosa and $508 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 130% 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: $22.00 in Santa Rosa vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $241 per month, with Santa Rosa 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 Rosa vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Rosa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 130% 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: $252 in Santa Rosa versus $508 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $749 per month in Santa Rosa versus $873 in Cebu – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $749 in Santa Rosa versus $873 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Rosa but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Rosa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Santa Rosa 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 Rosa 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 Rosa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.