How much does it cost to travel to Cebu?
You should plan to spend around $66 (₱3,653) per day on your vacation in Cebu. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $22 (₱1,201) on meals
- $26 (₱1,467) on local transportation
- $51 (₱2,803) on hotels
A one week trip to Cebu for two people costs, on average, $923 (₱51,141). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Cebu has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Cebu expensive to visit?
Cebu is a reasonably affordable place to visit. Located in the Philippines, which is a reasonably affordable country, visitors will appreciate the relatively low cost of this destination. It falls in the average range in the country for its prices. If you're traveling on a budget, then this is a good destination with affordable accommodation, food, and transportation.
Within Asia, Cebu is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Jakarta or Guilin.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Cebu Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Cebu?
The average Cebu trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Cebu travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
Category
|
Cost
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
₱2,803
($51)
|
Local Transportation 1
|
₱1,467
($26)
|
Food 2
|
₱1,201
($22)
|
Entertainment 1
|
₱944
($17)
|
Alcohol 2
|
₱396 -
1,188
($7 - 21)
|
Accommodation Budget in Cebu
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Cebu is $25 (₱1,402). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Cebu is $51 (₱2,803). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Cebu? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Cebu
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Cebu is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $26 (₱1,467) per person, per day, on local transportation in Cebu.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$26
₱1,467
How much does it cost to go to Cebu? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Cebu will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in Cebu
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Cebu can vary, the average cost of food in Cebu is $22 (₱1,201) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Cebu should cost around $8.67 (₱480) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Cebu is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$22
₱1,201
Entertainment Budget in Cebu
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Cebu typically cost an average of $17 (₱944) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$17
₱944
Alcohol Budget in Cebu
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $14 (₱792) on alcoholic beverages in Cebu per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$14
₱792
Water Budget in Cebu
Calculated from travelers like you
-
On average, people spend $0.77 (₱43) on bottled water in Cebu per day. The public water in Cebu is not usually considered safe to drink.
-
Water2
Bottled water for one day
$0.77
₱43
Cebu On a Budget
Cebu Island, Philippines
Cebu Island is an important island in the Visayas region of the Philippines, characterized by its main port at
Cebu City as well as many natural features. The most-visited areas include islands of Mactan, Bantayan, Badian, Malapascua and Camotes, all which have resorts and hotels. Scuba diving and snorkeling are common activities along the shoreline, while hiking the mountainous spine of the island is popular inland.
Sights
Cebu has plenty to see and do both within and outside the island's main city. Exploring Cebu City, visitors will come across a number of historical landmarks, shrines, and other monuments like the Basilica of Santo Niño - a Catholic church where a statue of the baby Jesus is enshrined. This statue (the Santo Niño) was a gift given by the Portuguese explorer Magellan to Raja Humabon upon Magellan's and the Spanish explorers' arrival in March 1521. Additional sights in the city include the The Mactan Shrine (to a local chieftain, Lapu Lapu), the Casa Gorodo (former residence of the provincial governor of Cebu), Fort San Pedro (the first, oldest, and smallest Spanish fort in the Philippines), and Magellan's Cross (in commemoration of the Portuguese conquistador who introduced Christianity).
Beyond Cebu City, there are plenty of stunning locations amidst beaches, mountains, and waterfalls.
Bantayan Island, for example, has beautiful white sand beaches, while Osmeña Peak provides a popular hiking destination. Most hikers will begin in Dalaguete town in the south and can continue to traverse the island to the
Instaworthy Kawasan Falls in Badian. Mactan Island is home to a number of resorts and hotels, while Malapascua Island offers scuba diving, thresher shark watching, and uncrowded white sand beaches. Other nearby attractions include the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary and the Camotes Islands, featuring a number of beaches, natural pools, waterfalls, and a lake.
Neighborhoods
Cebu city is one of the most popular destinations in the Philippines for foreign visitors. In addition to being a booming metropolitan area, the city is also known for its white sand beaches and historical landmarks which reflect its past as a major port. Other cities include Danao City, Bogo, Lapu Lapu, Mandaue, Toledo, Car Car, and Alegria. Moalboal is another common place to visit, mostly as a basecamp for the surrounding area which provides great opportunities for diving and snorkeling. In addition to its proximity to a coastline of reefs and Panagsama beach, Moalboal is also near natural wonders in the mountains with scenic vistas and dense tropical rain forests divided by rivers and canyons.
Activities
From beach and mountain scenery to historical landmarks, Cebu is an island with plenty of opportunities for sight-seeing. In addition to these features, many come to the island to kick back at a resort or get active with watersports like scuba diving, snorkeling, kiteboarding, and windsurfing. Mactan and the surrounding smaller islands are hubs for scuba with over 20 dive sites in the general area.
Kontiki reef is one particular site that is considered to be the best scuba training area for recreational scuba diving certification.
Food and Dining
As far as food goes, Cebu city will have just about anything from tasty local street food to international flavors like Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, American, Spanish, Thai, and Indian-you name it. For tourists, the two best areas to find dining options are Ayala Mall and IT Park. The Ayala Center in Cebu has an extension (adjacent to Marriott Hotel) called The Terraces with an abundance of food choices. It also has two grocery stores with large sections of food imported from all around the world. The IT Park, on the other hand, has over 20 restaurants with most of them open 24 hours a day. Both of these eating areas offer plenty of options as well as free Wi-Fi.
Transportation
The city is served mainly by Mactan-Cebu International Airport with most flights coming from Manila on one of two major national airlines, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines. Cebu Pacific and Philippine Air also have direct flights from Korea as does Asiana Airlines. There are flights from Singapore with Silk Air and TigerAirways, from Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific or Cebu Pacific, and from Doha with Qatar Airways directly to Mactan-Cebu International. The airport is located on a separate island (Mactan), and it takes about 20-30 minutes to get to the actual city of Cebu. Taking a taxi is the best way to reach the city from the airport.
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The Best Tours of Cebu, Philippines
We've been gathering travel cost data from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of destinations around the world.