Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hillah and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Hillah: $658 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Al Hillah
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Al Hillah Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

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Al Hillah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$658

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $658 per month in Al Hillah vs $918 in Cebu, rent included.

Al Hillah $658
Cebu $918

A couple spends around $1,007 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,409 in Cebu, rent included.

Al Hillah $1,007
Cebu $1,409

A family of three spends $1,356 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,900 in Cebu, rent included.

Al Hillah $1,356
Cebu $1,900

Al Hillah is about 28% cheaper than Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Al Hillah and Cebu are more affordable than the global median – Al Hillah 51% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.24 IQD 6,402

$3.09 ₱194

37.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.23 IQD 39.6K

$24.22 ₱1,525

8.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 IQD 8,369

$3.92 ₱247

41.33%

Cappuccino

$2.73 IQD 4,123

$2.51 ₱158

8.76%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 IQD 476

$1.59 ₱100

-80.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 247

$0.53 ₱33.43

-69.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 IQD 3,916

$1.78 ₱112

45.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 IQD 4,937

$2.17 ₱137

50.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 IQD 1,336

$1.92 ₱121

-54.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 IQD 1,034

$1.36 ₱85.4

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 IQD 2,050

$1.01 ₱63.5

34.65%

Eggs

$1.55 IQD 2,338

$2.03 ₱128

-23.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.38 IQD 5,114

$9.86 ₱621

-65.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 IQD 6,356

$4.39 ₱277

-4.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.53 IQD 18.9K

$7.60 ₱479

64.87%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 IQD 1,457

$3.30 ₱208

-70.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 IQD 1,349

$1.39 ₱87.8

-35.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,361

$2.33 ₱147

-61.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 1,027

$1.50 ₱94.3

-54.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 895

$2.36 ₱149

-75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 846

$1.90 ₱119

-70.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 IQD 720

$1.19 ₱74.9

-59.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 IQD 770

$0.63 ₱39.71

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.63 IQD 2,462

$3.00 ₱189

-45.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.51 IQD 17.4K

$6.03 ₱379

90.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 IQD 2,984

$1.23 ₱77.7

60.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 IQD 2,968

$1.75 ₱110

12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 IQD 522

$0.25 ₱15.86

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.17 IQD 30.5K

$12.64 ₱796

59.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 IQD 3,038

$0.77 ₱48.62

161.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 IQD 2,015

$0.23 ₱14.53

478.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 IQD 4,544

$4.46 ₱281

-32.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 IQD 694

$1.31 ₱82.8

-64.89%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$14.7K IQD 22.1M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-31.01%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$16.6K IQD 25.0M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

-13.56%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$66.6 IQD 100.7K

$120 ₱7,569

-44.59%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.22 IQD 20.0K

$14.00 ₱882

-5.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.28 IQD 50.3K

$27.54 ₱1,734

20.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.72 IQD 29.8K

$32.33 ₱2,035

-39.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.70 IQD 25.2K

$6.65 ₱419

151.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 IQD 9,709

$5.65 ₱356

13.81%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$81.6 IQD 123.3K

$275 ₱17.3K

-70.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$664 IQD 1.0M

$7,918 ₱498.5K

-91.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.27 IQD 29.1K

$49.33 ₱3,106

-60.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.61 IQD 32.7K

$25.24 ₱1,589

-14.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.8 IQD 87.3K

$77.0 ₱4,846

-24.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.29 IQD 62.4K

$57.2 ₱3,601

-27.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 363.3K

$500 ₱31.5K

-51.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 IQD 232.2K

$309 ₱19.4K

-50.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 IQD 660.1K

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-59.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 IQD 376.2K

$615 ₱38.7K

-59.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,470 IQD 2.2M

$2,886 ₱181.7K

-49.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$479 IQD 724.3K

$1,917 ₱120.7K

-74.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$436 IQD 658.2K

$346 ₱21.8K

25.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.33

7.2

-53.75%

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

Last update for Al Hillah: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Al Hillah

$161 24.5%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 27.9% $45

Accommodation & Living

Al Hillah

$154 23.4%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 101% $155

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Al Hillah

$113 17.2%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 43% $49

Eating Out

Al Hillah

$105 15.9%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 15.7% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Al Hillah

$63 9.6%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 49.1% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Al Hillah

$33 5%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 33.9% $11

Getting Around

Al Hillah

$30 4.6%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 48.5% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Al Hillah versus $500 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 26% higher in Al Hillah, 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 $26.00 in Al Hillah versus $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries tell a different story – $161 in Al Hillah vs $206 in Cebu – so Al Hillah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Al Hillah

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

20:31 8:31 PM

01:31 1:31 AM

5 h ahead of Al Hillah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,729,666

964,169

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇶 Iraqi Dinar (ع.د)

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to IQD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Al Hillah Cebu 8,410 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Al Hillah
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

Al Hillah vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cebu is pricier by about 39%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $987 per month in Al Hillah and $1,377 in Cebu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Hillah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 60% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $81.6 per month in Al Hillah and $275 in Cebu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $658 in Al Hillah and $918 in Cebu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hillah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Al Hillah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cebu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.