Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aktau and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Aktau: $798 a month against $943 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Aktau, Kazakhstan
Cebu, Philippines
Aktau
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$798
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$943
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $798 per month in Aktau vs $943 in Cebu, rent included.

  • Aktau $798
  • Cebu $943

A couple spends around $1,321 per month in Aktau vs $1,437 in Cebu, rent included.

  • Aktau $1,321
  • Cebu $1,437

A family of three spends $1,844 per month in Aktau vs $1,930 in Cebu, rent included.

  • Aktau $1,844
  • Cebu $1,930

Aktau is about 15% cheaper than Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Aktau and Cebu are more affordable than the global median – Aktau 41% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aktau
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.26 ₸5,070
$3.88 ₱244
190.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.53 ₸19.6K
$23.22 ₱1,462
87.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.11 ₸4,552
$3.90 ₱246
159.23%
Cappuccino
$2.56 ₸1,153
$2.56 ₱161
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 ₸339
$1.60 ₱101
-53.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 ₸205
$0.51 ₱32.02
-11.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.29 ₸581
$1.76 ₱111
-26.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 ₸691
$2.15 ₱136
-28.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aktau
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 ₸655
$1.99 ₱125
-27.14%
White Bread (500g)
$0.57 ₸256
$1.37 ₱86.3
-58.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.82 ₸822
$0.95 ₱59.8
91.58%
Eggs
$1.73 ₸779
$2.02 ₱127
-14.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.77 ₸4,402
$9.63 ₱606
1.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.21 ₸1,898
$4.35 ₱274
-3.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.55 ₸3,852
$7.70 ₱485
11.04%
Apples (1kg)
$1.51 ₸680
$3.30 ₱207
-54.24%
Banana (1kg)
$2.23 ₸1,003
$1.27 ₱79.7
75.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.40 ₸1,082
$2.34 ₱147
2.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.86 ₸1,289
$1.51 ₱95.3
89.40%
Potato (1kg)
$0.66 ₸296
$2.23 ₱141
-70.40%
Onion (1kg)
$0.52 ₸235
$1.93 ₱122
-73.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 ₸659
$1.18 ₱74.4
23.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 ₸430
$0.65 ₱40.92
46.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.60 ₸1,169
$2.89 ₱182
-10.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.49 ₸4,275
$6.35 ₱400
49.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 ₸340
$1.27 ₱80.0
-40.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₸407
$1.64 ₱103
-45.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Aktau
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 ₸72.0
$0.23 ₱14.42
-30.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$12.24 ₱770
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.13 ₸507
$0.82 ₱51.5
37.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸288
$0.20 ₱12.56
220.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$4.32 ₱272
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.67 ₸300
$1.38 ₱86.7
-51.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.2K ₱1.3M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K ₸14.1M
$19.3K ₱1.2M
61.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aktau
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$46.54 ₸21.0K
$124 ₱7,814
-62.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.14 ₸3,665
$15.93 ₱1,003
-48.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.99 ₸4,952
$28.07 ₱1,767
-60.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aktau
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.51 ₸16.4K
$33.41 ₱2,103
9.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.40 ₱403
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.12 ₸1,406
$5.85 ₱368
-46.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aktau
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$146 ₸65.6K
$271 ₱17.0K
-46.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,643 ₸1.2M
$8,060 ₱507.3K
-67.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aktau
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.5 ₸30.4K
$48.31 ₱3,041
39.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.11 ₸17.6K
$24.56 ₱1,546
59.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.7 ₸32.3K
$77.1 ₱4,855
-7.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ₸39.6K
$56.5 ₱3,557
55.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aktau
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$325 ₸146.5K
$495 ₱31.2K
-34.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$199 ₸89.7K
$322 ₱20.2K
-38.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$547 ₸246.3K
$990 ₱62.3K
-44.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$393 ₸177.0K
$628 ₱39.5K
-37.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$810 ₸365.0K
$4,459 ₱280.6K
-81.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$645 ₸290.5K
$3,030 ₱190.7K
-78.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aktau
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$569 ₸256.2K
$343 ₱21.6K
65.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14
7.2
94.44%

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

Last update for Aktau: October 31, 2026

Last update for Cebu: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Aktau
$200
Cebu
$206 2.7% $5.5
Accommodation & Living
Aktau
$199
Cebu
$322 61.5% $123
Eating Out
Aktau
$165
Cebu
$95 42.6% $70
Clothing & Footwear
Aktau
$120
Cebu
$93 22.4% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aktau
$66
Cebu
$168 156% $102
Sport & Entertainment
Aktau
$43
Cebu
$45 5.5% $2.4
Getting Around
Aktau
$5 *
Cebu
$15 201% $10

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $325 in Aktau versus $495 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 66% higher in Aktau, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Aktau versus $23 in Cebu. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Aktau vs $206 in Cebu – so Aktau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Aktau
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
11:36 11:36 AM
14:36 2:36 PM
3 h ahead of Aktau
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
273,830
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 62.95 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.66 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Aktau Cebu 7,830 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Aktau
  • 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
Aktau vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Aktau or Cebu?
Cebu costs about 18% more than Aktau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. 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 Aktau and in Cebu?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,197 per month in Aktau and $1,415 in Cebu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Aktau or Cebu?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktau, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $325 there versus $495 in Cebu.
How do dining costs compare in Aktau and in Cebu?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Aktau and $23 in Cebu. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Aktau or in Cebu?
Groceries cost about 3% more in Cebu, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Aktau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Aktau compared to Cebu?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Aktau vs other spots: cost of living compared

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