Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambon: $625 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Ambon
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Ambon Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Ambon

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$625

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $625 in Ambon versus $934 in Cebu.

Ambon $625
Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $997 in Ambon versus $1,415 in Cebu.

Ambon $997
Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,368 in Ambon versus $1,896 in Cebu.

Ambon $1,368
Cebu $1,896

Living in Ambon costs roughly 33% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 53% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.10 Rp 19.6K

$3.03 ₱191

-63.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.77 Rp 246.4K

$23.48 ₱1,476

-41.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 Rp 68.4K

$4.09 ₱257

-6.60%

Cappuccino

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

$2.52 ₱158

-41.67%

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

$0.43 Rp 7,718

$1.54 ₱97.2

-72.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 Rp 5,160

$0.49 ₱31.06

-40.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 Rp 40.9K

$1.79 ₱113

27.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 Rp 61.9K

$2.26 ₱142

53.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$1.95 ₱122

-45.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$1.43 ₱89.9

-30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.02 ₱64.0

-21.57%

Eggs

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

$2.06 ₱129

-33.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 Rp 131.2K

$9.81 ₱617

-25.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 Rp 52.4K

$4.61 ₱290

-36.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 Rp 138.1K

$7.70 ₱484

0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.0K

$3.31 ₱208

-32.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$1.45 ₱91.2

-11.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.3K

$2.36 ₱148

-27.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.6K

$1.54 ₱96.6

-17.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$2.36 ₱148

-45.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.7K

$1.99 ₱125

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.15 ₱72.3

-36.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,718

$0.67 ₱42.26

-35.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 Rp 40.9K

$3.00 ₱189

-23.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.10 Rp 377.4K

$6.35 ₱399

232.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.31 ₱82.1

38.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 Rp 54.5K

$1.73 ₱109

76.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,723

$0.25 ₱15.82

4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.64 Rp 297.7K

$12.65 ₱796

31.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,380

$0.74 ₱46.44

-29.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 Rp 6,408

$0.21 ₱13.15

71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 Rp 48.1K

$4.33 ₱272

-37.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$1.33 ₱83.7

-39.10%

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

$21.1K Rp 377.6M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-3.03%

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

$27.3K Rp 487.5M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

40.49%

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

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

$121 ₱7,583

-52.31%

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

$5.48 Rp 98.0K

$14.45 ₱909

-62.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 Rp 337.7K

$28.29 ₱1,779

-33.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.58 Rp 332.3K

$32.68 ₱2,055

-43.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 Rp 137.6K

$6.39 ₱402

20.34%

Cinema Ticket

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

$5.46 ₱343

-74.91%

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

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

$273 ₱17.2K

-65.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,994 Rp 125.1M

$8,156 ₱512.9K

-14.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.94 Rp 768.1K

$49.57 ₱3,117

-13.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.09 Rp 574.1K

$24.87 ₱1,564

29.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 Rp 1.3M

$76.6 ₱4,817

-4.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

$59.3 ₱3,727

21.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 Rp 3.7M

$506 ₱31.8K

-59.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 Rp 2.3M

$309 ₱19.5K

-59.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 Rp 8.5M

$1,052 ₱66.1K

-54.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 Rp 7.2M

$619 ₱38.9K

-34.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,004 Rp 18.0M

$2,915 ₱183.4K

-65.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$915 Rp 16.4M

$1,867 ₱117.4K

-50.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$125 Rp 2.2M

$341 ₱21.5K

-63.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

7.2

31.39%

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

Last update for Ambon: October 6, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ambon

$194 32.3%

Cebu

$210 22.7% 8.2% $16

Accommodation & Living

Ambon

$127 21.1%

Cebu

$309 33.5% 144% $183

Clothing & Footwear

Ambon

$99 16.4%

Cebu

$95 10.2% 4.3% $4.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ambon

$82 13.6%

Cebu

$163 17.7% 99.5% $81

Eating Out

Ambon

$59 9.8%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 49.4% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Ambon

$21 3.5%

Cebu

$44 4.7% 105% $22

Getting Around

Ambon

$20 3.3%

Cebu

$15 1.7% 22.8% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Ambon and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 173% 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: $14.00 in Ambon vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $210 per month, with Ambon cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ambon

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

14:03 2:03 PM

13:03 1:03 PM

1 h behind Ambon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

275,888

964,169

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,890 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,065 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ambon Cebu 1,630 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Ambon
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

Ambon vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Cebu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 173% lower in Cebu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $207 in Ambon versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $625 per month in Ambon versus $934 in Cebu – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 32% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Ambon gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $625 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ambon 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.

Expats usually find Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.