The difference at a glance
- The male-to-female ratio at 20–39 is effectively the same in Cebu City and Metro Manila.
- Monthly essentials cost 1.0% more in Metro Manila than in Cebu City.
- A one-bed in the centre costs 6.9% more in Metro Manila than in Cebu City.
- One average net salary stretches 0.17× further in Metro Manila than in Cebu City.
- The safety score is 16 points lower in Metro Manila than in Cebu City.
- PM2.5 is 7.1 µg/m³ higher in Metro Manila than in Cebu City.
- Green space is 5 points lower in Metro Manila than in Cebu City.
Green favours Metro Manila. Measured metrics only.
Head to head
Each row is named for the thing more of which is better, so a longer bar always wins.
Longer is better. Bar length is the rank among all 453 cities we hold that measure for, not a share of the pair.
Profile shape
Outward is better on every spoke, on the same percentile scale as the bars above. The area is not a score: it moves with the order of the axes.
Every metric, side by side
Each row carries the level it is measured at. A country figure is never printed as a city figure.
| Men per 100 women, 20–39national census, age×sex | 102.0 | 102.9 | 0.9 fewer men |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $682 | $689 | $7 |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $504 | $539 | $35 |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $347 | $469 | 1.35× as much |
| Salary covers essentialsaverage net salary ÷ essentials | 0.51× | 0.68× | 0.17× |
| Safety scoreperception-based, not police-reported crime | 51/100 | 35/100 | 16 points |
| PM2.5µg/m³ a year; WHO guideline is 5 | 7.4 | 14.5 | 1.96× |
| Green spaceshare of residents in high-greenness area, 2025 NDVI | 73% | 68% | 5 points |
| Food outletswithin 5 km (3 mi); OpenStreetMap density, a scene signal, not quality | 1,039 | 2,153 | 2.07× |
| Universitieswithin 18 km (11 mi), deduplicated to institutions | 25 | 71 | 2.84× |
| Reported enrolmentwhere Wikidata reports it; no sex split | n/a | 60,353 | — |
| Warmest monthcontextfeels like, ten-year monthly normal | 36°C / 98°F | 36°C / 96°F | — |
| Coolest monthcontextfeels like, ten-year monthly normal | 32°C / 90°F | 30°C / 85°F | — |
| Wettest monthcontextrainfall, ten-year monthly normal | 275 mm / 10.8 in | 336 mm / 13.2 in | — |
| Airportcontextnearest scheduled-service class | International | International | — |
| Beach towncontexton or beside the coast | No | No | — |
| Populationcontextas enumerated at this level | 964,169 | 11,637,949 | — |
| Tourist pressurecontextvisitor lodging per 1,000 urban-centre residents | 0.18 | 0.06 | — |
| Expat easeest.hand-set estimate | 80/100 | 82/100 | 2 points |
| Walkabilityest.hand-set estimate | 44/100 | 45/100 | 1 point |
| Nightlifeest.hand-set estimate | 70/100 | 78/100 | 8 points |
| Traffic safetyest.hand-set estimate | 44/100 | 40/100 | 4 points |
| Power gridest.hand-set estimate | 62/100 | 66/100 | 4 points |
| Urban intensityest.hand-set estimate | 66/100 | 95/100 | — |
Data updated August 6, 2026. Cost figures are Numbeo; sex ratio is the national census age×sex table.
Sex ratio and climate
Sex ratio is men per 100 women in each five-year band, with 100 as parity. Climate is ten-year monthly normals.
Everyday prices
The single items the monthly figures are built from. Cheaper side highlighted.
| Item | Cebu City | Metro Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $4.05 | $5.68 |
| Meal for 2, mid-range | $24.33 | $25.95 |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $4.05 | $4.05 |
| Cappuccino, regular | $2.57 | $2.50 |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $1.78 | $1.18 |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $2.27 | $2.76 |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $1.42 | $1.45 |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $0.52 | $0.83 |
| Milk, 1 L | $2.00 | $1.96 |
| White bread, 500 g | $1.40 | $1.39 |
| White rice, 1 kg | $1.01 | $1.03 |
| Eggs, 12 | $2.04 | $2.25 |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $10.15 | $7.91 |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $4.57 | $5.06 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $3.46 | $3.34 |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $1.45 | $1.84 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $1.54 | $1.85 |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $2.43 | $2.31 |
| Onions, 1 kg | $1.97 | $2.70 |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $0.66 | $0.58 |
| One-way ticket, local transport | $0.24 | $0.49 |
| Monthly transit pass | $12.65 | $12.98 |
| Taxi start | $0.78 | $0.77 |
| Taxi, 1 km | $0.22 | $0.23 |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $1.26 | $1.25 |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $122.99 | $122.35 |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $28.31 | $23.67 |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $15.20 | $14.94 |
| Gym, monthly | $32.98 | $43.95 |
| Cinema, one seat | $5.68 | $7.30 |
Common questions
Answered here, from the figures above.
Which has more women, Cebu City or Metro Manila?
Cebu City, by 0.9 fewer men per 100 women.
men per 100 women, aged 20–39
Is Metro Manila cheaper than Cebu City?
Cebu City is cheaper, by $7 a month.
essentials per month
Which is safer, Cebu City or Metro Manila?
Cebu City, by 16 points.
safety score, higher is safer
Perception-based, not police-reported crime.
Which has better air quality?
Cebu City, by 1.96×.
PM2.5 µg/m³, annual mean
Both sit above the WHO guideline of 5.
Which goes further on a local salary?
Metro Manila, by 0.17×.
essentials covered by one average net salary
Put Cebu City and Metro Manila on the same board
Both cities land on the desk already pinned, next to every other city we track.
Open both in the research deskOr go deeper on the Philippines: visa, tax, scams, dating culture and subregion rankings. Unlocks the deep-dive, and every other market.
Photos: Cebu City: DisRaptor18, CC0 · Metro Manila: jopetsy, CC BY 2.0.
