Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambatolampy and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambatolampy: $476 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ambatolampy
🇲🇬 Madagascar
$476
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $476 in Ambatolampy versus $934 in Cebu.

  • Ambatolampy $476
  • Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $704 in Ambatolampy versus $1,415 in Cebu.

  • Ambatolampy $704
  • Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $932 in Ambatolampy versus $1,896 in Cebu.

  • Ambatolampy $932
  • Cebu $1,896

Living in Ambatolampy costs roughly 49% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambatolampy 64% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ambatolampy
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.68 MGA 12.0K
$3.03 ₱190
-11.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.12 MGA 45.3K
$23.48 ₱1,473
-56.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.68 MGA 25.4K
$4.09 ₱256
38.88%
Cappuccino
$1.68 MGA 7,519
$2.52 ₱158
-33.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MGA 3,713
$1.54 ₱96.9
-46.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 MGA 2,061
$0.49 ₱30.98
-6.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.02 MGA 4,551
$1.79 ₱112
-43.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 MGA 10.0K
$2.26 ₱142
-0.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ambatolampy
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.87 MGA 3,870
$1.95 ₱122
-55.38%
White Bread (500g)
$1.05 MGA 4,687
$1.43 ₱89.7
-26.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.78 MGA 3,482
$1.02 ₱63.8
-23.53%
Eggs
$2.13 MGA 9,512
$2.06 ₱129
3.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.75 MGA 39.1K
$9.81 ₱615
-10.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.47 MGA 20.0K
$4.61 ₱289
-3.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.81 MGA 21.5K
$7.70 ₱483
-37.53%
Apples (1kg)
$1.07 MGA 4,795
$3.31 ₱207
-67.67%
Banana (1kg)
$0.54 MGA 2,435
$1.45 ₱90.9
-62.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.01 MGA 4,535
$2.36 ₱148
-57.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.82 MGA 3,667
$1.54 ₱96.4
-46.75%
Potato (1kg)
$0.58 MGA 2,578
$2.36 ₱148
-75.42%
Onion (1kg)
$0.95 MGA 4,265
$1.99 ₱125
-52.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.33 MGA 1,461
$1.15 ₱72.1
-71.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 MGA 3,240
$0.67 ₱42.15
7.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.64 MGA 7,331
$3.00 ₱188
-45.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.20 MGA 23.2K
$6.35 ₱398
-18.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 MGA 4,694
$1.31 ₱81.9
-19.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 MGA 8,415
$1.73 ₱108
8.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Ambatolampy
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.25 ₱15.78
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$12.65 ₱793
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.50 MGA 15.7K
$0.74 ₱46.32
372.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.02 MGA 9,046
$0.21 ₱13.11
861.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.67 MGA 20.9K
$4.33 ₱271
7.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 MGA 3,858
$1.33 ₱83.5
-35.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.3K MGA 55.0M
$21.8K ₱1.4M
-43.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MGA 116.5M
$19.4K ₱1.2M
34.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ambatolampy
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.2 MGA 340.4K
$121 ₱7,563
-36.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.10 MGA 76.4K
$14.45 ₱907
18.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.5 MGA 257.2K
$28.29 ₱1,774
103.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ambatolampy
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$32.68 ₱2,050
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.39 ₱401
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.74 MGA 25.7K
$5.46 ₱342
5.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ambatolampy
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$25.50 MGA 114.0K
$273 ₱17.1K
-90.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.9K MGA 66.7M
$8,156 ₱511.5K
83.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ambatolampy
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$29.10 MGA 130.1K
$49.57 ₱3,109
-41.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.59 MGA 123.3K
$24.87 ₱1,560
10.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.6 MGA 355.8K
$76.6 ₱4,804
3.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 MGA 313.5K
$59.3 ₱3,717
18.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ambatolampy
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$506 ₱31.7K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$309 ₱19.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,052 ₱66.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$619 ₱38.8K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,915 ₱182.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,867 ₱117.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ambatolampy
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$341 ₱21.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15.75
7.2
118.75%

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

Last update for Ambatolampy: October 5, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ambatolampy
$151
Cebu
$163 8.3% $13
Groceries & Markets
Ambatolampy
$144
Cebu
$210 46.4% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Ambatolampy
$93
Cebu
$95 1.9% $1.8
Eating Out
Ambatolampy
$73
Cebu
$88 20.4% $15
Getting Around
Ambatolampy
$14 *
Cebu
$15 13.4% $1.8
Sport & Entertainment
Ambatolampy
$11 *
Cebu
$44 280% $32
Accommodation & Living
Ambatolampy
- *
Cebu
$309

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $10.00 in Ambatolampy vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $144 vs $210 per month, with Ambatolampy cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇬 Ambatolampy
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
10:04 10:04 AM
15:04 3:04 PM
5 h ahead of Ambatolampy
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
32,291
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MGA – Malagasy Ariary Converter

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4,470 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.24 USD). 1 EUR = 5,013 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.99 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
  • Ambatolampy Cebu 9,000 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ambatolampy
  • 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
Ambatolampy vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ambatolampy or Cebu?
Ambatolampy wins on cost – living expenses run 96% lower than in Cebu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambatolampy the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ambatolampy and in Cebu?
You'd need roughly $714 in Ambatolampy and $1,401 in Cebu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do childcare costs compare in Ambatolampy and in Cebu?
Childcare runs $25.50 in Ambatolampy versus $273 in Cebu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Ambatolampy and in Cebu?
Dining out is cheaper in Ambatolampy – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $23.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Ambatolampy or in Cebu?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Ambatolampy gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ambatolampy or Cebu?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ambatolampy delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $476 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambatolampy hard to pass up.
How safe is Ambatolampy compared to Cebu?
Safety-wise, Ambatolampy 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 Ambatolampy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ambatolampy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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