For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,520 in Aegina, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aegina and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,520 in Aegina versus $918 in Cebu.
Aegina $1,520
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,260 in Aegina versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Aegina $2,260
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Aegina versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Aegina $3,000
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Aegina is roughly 66% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Aegina is 13% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Aegina
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.44€12.84
$3.09₱194
367.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.7€45.96
$24.22₱1,525
113.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.23€9.99
$3.92₱247
186.48%
Cappuccino
$3.58€3.18
$2.51₱158
42.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23€1.98
$1.59₱100
40.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59€0.52
$0.53₱33.43
11.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.19€3.73
$1.78₱112
135.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53€4.03
$2.17₱137
108.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aegina
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.47€1.31
$1.92₱121
-23.44%
White Bread(500g)
$1.42€1.26
$1.36₱85.4
4.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.60€2.31
$1.01₱63.5
157.43%
Eggs
$4.56€4.05
$2.03₱128
124.63%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.43€11.94
$9.86₱621
36.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.90€9.70
$4.39₱277
148.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.65€13.92
$7.60₱479
105.92%
Apples(1kg)
$2.32€2.07
$3.30₱208
-29.70%
Banana(1kg)
$2.09€1.86
$1.39₱87.8
50.36%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.23€1.10
$2.33₱147
-47.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.85€1.65
$1.50₱94.3
23.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.12€0.99
$2.36₱149
-52.54%
Onion(1kg)
$0.98€0.87
$1.90₱119
-48.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.09€0.97
$1.19₱74.9
-8.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83€0.74
$0.63₱39.71
31.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.04€4.49
$3.00₱189
68.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.58€5.86
$6.03₱379
9.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97€1.76
$1.23₱77.7
60.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33€2.07
$1.75₱110
33.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Aegina
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.33€1.18
$0.25₱15.86
432.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.11€40.12
$12.64₱796
256.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.91€3.48
$0.77₱48.62
407.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00€0.89
$0.23₱14.53
334.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.03€15.15
$4.46₱281
281.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.82€1.62
$1.31₱82.8
38.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9K€23.1K
$21.2K₱1.3M
22.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.2K€21.5K
$19.1K₱1.2M
26.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aegina
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$264€235
$120₱7,569
119.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.26€20.69
$14.00₱882
66.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.28€26.94
$27.54₱1,734
9.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aegina
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.82€44.31
$32.33₱2,035
54.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.82€25.63
$6.65₱419
333.38%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87€7.89
$5.65₱356
56.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aegina
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$439€391
$275₱17.3K
59.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,508€7,568
$7,918₱498.5K
7.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aegina
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.8€80.8
$49.33₱3,106
84.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.86€31.90
$25.24₱1,589
42.08%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.4€76.8
$77.0₱4,846
12.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136€121
$57.2₱3,601
137.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aegina
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$481€428
$500₱31.5K
-3.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$400€356
$309₱19.4K
29.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$661€588
$1,078₱67.9K
-38.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$626€557
$615₱38.7K
1.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,583€2,298
$2,886₱181.7K
-10.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,088€1,857
$1,917₱120.7K
8.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aegina
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,116€992
$346₱21.8K
222.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.46
7.2
-38.06%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Aegina: October 12, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Aegina
$400 26.3%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 22.8%$91
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aegina
$317 20.9%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 49%$155
🛒Groceries & Markets
Aegina
$285 18.8%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 27.8%$79
🍽Eating Out
Aegina
$233 15.4%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 62.2%$145
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Aegina
$157 10.3%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 40.2%$63
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Aegina
$68 4.5%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 35.4%$24
🚌Getting Around
Aegina
$59 3.9%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 73.8%$44
🏠Accommodation & Living
Aegina
$626 20.9%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 1.7%$11
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aegina
$340 11.4%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 48.4%$165
🛒Groceries & Markets
Aegina
$671 22.4%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 28%$188
🍽Eating Out
Aegina
$729 24.3%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 59.9%$437
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Aegina
$349 11.6%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 40.2%$140
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Aegina
$164 5.5%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 42.7%$70
🚌Getting Around
Aegina
$121 4%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 73.9%$90
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Aegina and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Aegina pays 223% 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: $52.0 in Aegina vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
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
Aegina vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Aegina or Cebu?
Cebu wins on cost – living expenses run 66% lower than in Aegina. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cebu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Aegina or in Cebu?
Average pay runs 223% higher in Aegina, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Aegina compared to Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $481 in Aegina versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Aegina and in Cebu?
Dining out is cheaper in Cebu – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $52.0 in Aegina. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Aegina compared to Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,520 per month in Aegina versus $918 in Cebu – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Aegina or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,520 in Aegina, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Aegina. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Aegina or Cebu?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cebu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $918 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cebu hard to pass up.
How safe is Aegina compared to Cebu?
Safety-wise, Aegina 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Aegina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.