Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tagbilaran City and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Tagbilaran City: $620 a month against $915 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

30

Cost of Living Index in Tagbilaran City
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Tagbilaran City Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

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Tagbilaran City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$620

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$915

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tagbilaran City and in Cebu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tagbilaran City and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $620 in Tagbilaran City versus $915 in Cebu.

Tagbilaran City $620
Cebu $915

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,005 in Tagbilaran City versus $1,418 in Cebu.

Tagbilaran City $1,005
Cebu $1,418

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,390 in Tagbilaran City versus $1,921 in Cebu.

Tagbilaran City $1,390
Cebu $1,921

Living in Tagbilaran City costs roughly 32% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tagbilaran City 54% lower, Cebu 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 ₱185

$3.05 ₱192

-3.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.16 ₱1,081

$24.00 ₱1,511

-28.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.91 ₱183

$3.99 ₱251

-27.07%

Cappuccino

$2.48 ₱156

$2.50 ₱157

-0.80%

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

$0.99 ₱62.6

$1.54 ₱97.1

-35.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱26.32

$0.50 ₱31.37

-16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 ₱48.77

$1.78 ₱112

-56.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱142

$2.17 ₱136

3.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ₱94.0

$2.00 ₱126

-25.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ₱63.8

$1.37 ₱86.2

-26.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.9

$1.03 ₱64.9

-4.85%

Eggs

$1.72 ₱108

$2.03 ₱128

-15.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 ₱610

$10.20 ₱642

-5.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 ₱287

$4.45 ₱280

2.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱485

$7.67 ₱483

0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₱183

$3.31 ₱208

-12.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ₱82.3

$1.46 ₱91.8

-10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$2.32 ₱146

1.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ₱95.8

$1.49 ₱94.0

2.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 ₱146

$2.34 ₱147

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱120

$1.94 ₱122

-2.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₱43.81

$1.16 ₱73.0

-39.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.38

$0.68 ₱42.89

-26.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₱149

$2.99 ₱188

-20.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 ₱399

$6.24 ₱393

1.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱58.1

$1.23 ₱77.3

-25.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₱65.7

$1.73 ₱109

-39.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.42

$0.23 ₱14.36

104.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 ₱777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.99

$0.79 ₱49.96

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.87

$0.22 ₱13.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 ₱276

$4.54 ₱286

-3.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 ₱65.1

$1.32 ₱82.9

-21.97%

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

$21.5K ₱1.4M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

2.36%

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

$19.2K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

-1.30%

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

$78.0 ₱4,911

$119 ₱7,464

-34.20%

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

$14.28 ₱899

$14.22 ₱896

0.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.32 ₱1,594

$27.47 ₱1,730

-7.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.92 ₱687

$32.31 ₱2,034

-66.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.22 ₱203

$6.50 ₱409

-50.46%

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 ₱227

$5.40 ₱340

-33.33%

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

$280 ₱17.6K

$276 ₱17.4K

1.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,908 ₱497.9K

$7,866 ₱495.3K

0.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.94 ₱2,326

$49.37 ₱3,108

-25.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.89 ₱1,126

$24.58 ₱1,548

-27.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ₱4,094

$76.6 ₱4,825

-15.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.2 ₱3,665

$58.9 ₱3,706

-1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$190 ₱12.0K

$503 ₱31.7K

-62.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₱8,524

$305 ₱19.2K

-55.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ₱30.3K

$1,075 ₱67.7K

-55.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₱22.0K

$632 ₱39.8K

-44.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 ₱50.7K

$2,870 ₱180.7K

-71.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$476 ₱30.0K

$1,877 ₱118.2K

-74.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 ₱10.8K

$336 ₱21.1K

-49.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Tagbilaran City: October 19, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Tagbilaran City

$189 30.5%

Cebu

$210 22.9% 10.8% $20

Accommodation & Living

Tagbilaran City

$135 21.8%

Cebu

$305 33.3% 125% $169

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tagbilaran City

$118 19%

Cebu

$160 17.5% 36.2% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Tagbilaran City

$80 12.9%

Cebu

$94 10.3% 17.6% $14

Eating Out

Tagbilaran City

$76 12.3%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 15.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Tagbilaran City

$18 2.9%

Cebu

$43 4.7% 138% $25

Getting Around

Tagbilaran City

$3.8 * 0.6%

Cebu

$15 1.7% 303% $11

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $190 in Tagbilaran City and $503 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 96% 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 Tagbilaran City vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $210 per month, with Tagbilaran City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Tagbilaran City

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

16:47 4:47 PM

Same time as Tagbilaran City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

86,411

964,169

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Tagbilaran City Cebu 74 km

From you

Tagbilaran City
Cebu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Tagbilaran City vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tagbilaran City is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 96% 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: $190 in Tagbilaran City versus $503 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $620 per month in Tagbilaran City versus $915 in Cebu – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Tagbilaran City 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, Tagbilaran City 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 Tagbilaran City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.