Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alkmaar and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,379 in Alkmaar, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Alkmaar
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,379
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,379 in Alkmaar versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Alkmaar $2,379
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,521 in Alkmaar versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Alkmaar $3,521
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,662 in Alkmaar versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Alkmaar $4,662
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Alkmaar is roughly 159% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Alkmaar is 76% above, Cebu is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Alkmaar
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$29.95 €26.64
$3.09 ₱194
869.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.2 €80.2
$24.22 ₱1,525
272.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.57 €12.96
$3.92 ₱247
271.68%
Cappuccino
$3.91 €3.48
$2.51 ₱158
55.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 €2.80
$1.59 ₱100
97.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.18
$0.53 ₱33.43
362.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.72 €5.08
$1.78 ₱112
221.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.50 €4.00
$2.17 ₱137
107.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alkmaar
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.92 ₱121
-25.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.34 €2.08
$1.36 ₱85.4
72.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.54 €3.15
$1.01 ₱63.5
250.50%
Eggs
$4.74 €4.21
$2.03 ₱128
133.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.90 €12.37
$9.86 ₱621
40.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.52 €12.91
$4.39 ₱277
230.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.18 €15.28
$7.60 ₱479
126.05%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$3.30 ₱208
-22.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.40 €2.13
$1.39 ₱87.8
72.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.79 €1.59
$2.33 ₱147
-23.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.24 €3.77
$1.50 ₱94.3
182.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 €1.75
$2.36 ₱149
-16.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 €1.85
$1.90 ₱119
9.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.19 ₱74.9
6.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 €0.71
$0.63 ₱39.71
26.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.76 €11.35
$3.00 ₱189
325.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.21 €6.41
$6.03 ₱379
19.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.23 ₱77.7
3.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 €1.98
$1.75 ₱110
27.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Alkmaar
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.27 €2.02
$0.25 ₱15.86
808.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$58.3 €51.8
$12.64 ₱796
360.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.83 €2.52
$0.77 ₱48.62
267.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 €1.46
$0.23 ₱14.53
613.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.57 €21.86
$4.46 ₱281
450.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.34 €2.08
$1.31 ₱82.8
78.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.8K €36.3K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
92.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.9K €34.6K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
103.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alkmaar
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$239 €213
$120 ₱7,569
98.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.90 €18.59
$14.00 ₱882
49.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.16 €41.06
$27.54 ₱1,734
67.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alkmaar
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.38 €40.37
$32.33 ₱2,035
40.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.17 €5.49
$6.65 ₱419
-7.22%
Cinema Ticket
$15.01 €13.36
$5.65 ₱356
165.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alkmaar
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$716 €637
$275 ₱17.3K
159.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,313 €2,058
$7,918 ₱498.5K
-70.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alkmaar
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$112 €100
$49.33 ₱3,106
128.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.65 €40.60
$25.24 ₱1,589
80.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 €95.3
$77.0 ₱4,846
39.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €105
$57.2 ₱3,601
105.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alkmaar
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 €701
$500 ₱31.5K
57.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,015 €903
$309 ₱19.4K
228.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,815 €2,504
$1,078 ₱67.9K
161.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,568 €1,395
$615 ₱38.7K
154.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,013 €4,459
$2,886 ₱181.7K
73.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,123 €3,668
$1,917 ₱120.7K
115.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alkmaar
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,317 €2,951
$346 ₱21.8K
858.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4
7.2
-44.44%

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

Last update for Alkmaar: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Alkmaar
$1K
Cebu
$309 69.6% $706
Eating Out
Alkmaar
$390
Cebu
$88 77.4% $302
Groceries & Markets
Alkmaar
$342
Cebu
$206 39.8% $136
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alkmaar
$306
Cebu
$162 47.2% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Alkmaar
$172
Cebu
$94 45.5% $78
Getting Around
Alkmaar
$78
Cebu
$16 80.1% $63
Sport & Entertainment
Alkmaar
$75
Cebu
$44 42.2% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Alkmaar and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alkmaar pays 859% 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: $90.0 in Alkmaar vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Alkmaar
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
14:13 2:13 PM
20:13 8:13 PM
6 h ahead of Alkmaar
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
111,834
964,169
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Alkmaar Cebu 10,960 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Alkmaar
  • 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
Alkmaar vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Alkmaar or Cebu?
Cebu wins on cost – living expenses run 159% lower than in Alkmaar. 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 Alkmaar or in Cebu?
Average pay runs 859% higher in Alkmaar, 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 Alkmaar compared to Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Alkmaar versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Alkmaar compared to Cebu?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 361% less than in Alkmaar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Alkmaar and in Cebu?
Childcare runs $716 in Alkmaar versus $275 in Cebu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Alkmaar or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,379 in Alkmaar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Alkmaar. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Alkmaar 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 Alkmaar compared to Cebu?
Safety-wise, Alkmaar 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 159% less than in Alkmaar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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