Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aberdeen and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,287 in Aberdeen, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Aberdeen
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,287
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aberdeen 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 Aberdeen and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,287 per month in Aberdeen vs $934 in Cebu, rent included.

  • Aberdeen $2,287
  • Cebu $934

A couple spends around $3,604 per month in Aberdeen vs $1,415 in Cebu, rent included.

  • Aberdeen $3,604
  • Cebu $1,415

A family of three spends $4,921 per month in Aberdeen vs $1,896 in Cebu, rent included.

  • Aberdeen $4,921
  • Cebu $1,896

Aberdeen costs about 145% more than Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Aberdeen sits 71% above the global median, while Cebu is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aberdeen
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.91 £15.05
$3.03 ₱190
557.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$96.7 £73.1
$23.48 ₱1,473
311.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.74 £8.12
$4.09 ₱256
162.59%
Cappuccino
$4.62 £3.49
$2.52 ₱158
83.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 £2.10
$1.54 ₱96.9
80.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 £1.59
$0.49 ₱30.98
330.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.08 £5.35
$1.79 ₱112
295.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.48 £5.65
$2.26 ₱142
230.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aberdeen
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 £1.18
$1.95 ₱122
-20.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.73 £1.31
$1.43 ₱89.7
20.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 £1.45
$1.02 ₱63.8
88.24%
Eggs
$4.41 £3.33
$2.06 ₱129
114.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.45 £6.38
$9.81 ₱615
-13.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.82 £8.93
$4.61 ₱289
156.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.02 £12.10
$7.70 ₱483
108.05%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 £2.19
$3.31 ₱207
-12.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 £1.05
$1.45 ₱90.9
-4.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.81 £2.12
$2.36 ₱148
19.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.72 £2.81
$1.54 ₱96.4
141.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.76 £1.33
$2.36 ₱148
-25.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.45 £1.10
$1.99 ₱125
-27.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 £0.91
$1.15 ₱72.1
5.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 £1.21
$0.67 ₱42.15
140.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$21.79 £16.47
$3.00 ₱188
626.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.22 £8.48
$6.35 ₱398
76.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.70 £2.04
$1.31 ₱81.9
106.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 £2.21
$1.73 ₱108
68.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Aberdeen
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.76 £2.08
$0.25 ₱15.78
1004.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$121 £91.7
$12.65 ₱793
859.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.89 £2.94
$0.74 ₱46.32
425.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.31 £1.75
$0.21 ₱13.11
1000.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.43 £17.71
$4.33 ₱271
441.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 £1.58
$1.33 ₱83.5
57.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K £29.2K
$21.8K ₱1.4M
77.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.7K £30.7K
$19.4K ₱1.2M
109.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aberdeen
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$410 £310
$121 ₱7,563
240.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.17 £21.29
$14.45 ₱907
94.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.97 £31.71
$28.29 ₱1,774
48.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aberdeen
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.9 £40.71
$32.68 ₱2,050
64.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.01 £16.64
$6.39 ₱401
244.44%
Cinema Ticket
$11.46 £8.66
$5.46 ₱342
109.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aberdeen
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,785 £1,349
$273 ₱17.1K
552.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.3K £17.6K
$8,156 ₱511.5K
185.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aberdeen
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.5 £72.9
$49.57 ₱3,109
94.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.34 £35.77
$24.87 ₱1,560
90.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 £78.0
$76.6 ₱4,804
34.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 £87.3
$59.3 ₱3,717
94.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aberdeen
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$814 £615
$506 ₱31.7K
60.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$777 £588
$309 ₱19.4K
151.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,557 £1,177
$1,052 ₱66.0K
48.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,658 £1,253
$619 ₱38.8K
167.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,260 £1,708
$2,915 ₱182.9K
-22.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,444 £2,603
$1,867 ₱117.1K
84.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aberdeen
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,606 £2,725
$341 ₱21.4K
957.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.11
7.2
-29.03%

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

Last update for Aberdeen: October 6, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Aberdeen
$777
Cebu
$309 60.2% $468
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aberdeen
$480
Cebu
$163 66% $317
Groceries & Markets
Aberdeen
$317
Cebu
$210 33.7% $107
Eating Out
Aberdeen
$317
Cebu
$88 72.1% $229
Clothing & Footwear
Aberdeen
$163
Cebu
$95 42% $69
Getting Around
Aberdeen
$148
Cebu
$15 89.6% $132
Sport & Entertainment
Aberdeen
$77
Cebu
$44 43.2% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $814 in Aberdeen versus $506 in Cebu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 957% higher in Aberdeen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Aberdeen versus $23.00 in Cebu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $210 – making Cebu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Aberdeen
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
06:24 6:24 AM
13:24 1:24 PM
7 h ahead of Aberdeen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
229,060
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.756 GBP (1 GBP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.848 GBP (1 GBP = 1.18 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Aberdeen Cebu 11,050 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Aberdeen
  • 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
Aberdeen vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Aberdeen or Cebu?
Aberdeen costs about 145% more than Cebu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Aberdeen and in Cebu?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,430 per month in Aberdeen and $1,401 in Cebu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Aberdeen or Cebu?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cebu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Aberdeen compared to Cebu?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,287 in Aberdeen and $934 in Cebu. That's a gap of about 145%.
How expensive is transport in Aberdeen compared to Cebu?
Public transport costs about 859% less in Cebu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Aberdeen or in Cebu?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cebu, where all-in costs run around $934, than in Aberdeen at $2,287. In Cebu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aberdeen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Aberdeen or Cebu?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cebu costs $934 versus $2,287 in Aberdeen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Aberdeen compared to Cebu?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Aberdeen or to Cebu?
If budget matters most, go with Cebu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aberdeen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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