Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between 'aqrah and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in 'aqrah: $661 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 'aqrah
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'aqrah Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

Jump to prices

'aqrah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$661

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $661 in 'aqrah versus $918 in Cebu.

'aqrah $661
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,015 in 'aqrah versus $1,409 in Cebu.

'aqrah $1,015
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,369 in 'aqrah versus $1,900 in Cebu.

'aqrah $1,369
Cebu $1,900

Living in 'aqrah costs roughly 28% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: 'aqrah 51% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 IQD 5,467

$3.09 ₱194

17.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.82 IQD 33.0K

$24.22 ₱1,524

-9.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 IQD 10.3K

$3.92 ₱246

73.98%

Cappuccino

$2.38 IQD 3,602

$2.51 ₱158

-5.18%

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

$0.32 IQD 485

$1.59 ₱100

-79.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 273

$0.53 ₱33.42

-66.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 IQD 4,706

$1.78 ₱112

74.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 IQD 3,945

$2.17 ₱137

20.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 IQD 1,416

$1.92 ₱121

-51.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 IQD 1,086

$1.36 ₱85.4

-47.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 IQD 2,205

$1.01 ₱63.5

44.55%

Eggs

$1.70 IQD 2,573

$2.03 ₱128

-16.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.48 IQD 5,252

$9.86 ₱621

-64.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 IQD 6,291

$4.39 ₱276

-5.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.31 IQD 20.1K

$7.60 ₱478

75.13%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,383

$3.30 ₱208

-72.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 IQD 1,375

$1.39 ₱87.7

-34.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,161

$2.33 ₱147

-66.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 990

$1.50 ₱94.2

-56.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 809

$2.36 ₱149

-77.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 965

$1.90 ₱119

-66.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 IQD 776

$1.19 ₱74.9

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 IQD 756

$0.63 ₱39.69

-20.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.57 IQD 2,368

$3.00 ₱189

-47.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 IQD 16.5K

$6.03 ₱379

81.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 IQD 2,003

$1.23 ₱77.6

8.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 IQD 2,800

$1.75 ₱110

5.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 IQD 679

$0.25 ₱15.85

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.50 IQD 26.4K

$12.64 ₱795

38.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 IQD 2,859

$0.77 ₱48.59

145.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 IQD 2,099

$0.23 ₱14.52

504.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 IQD 7,788

$4.46 ₱280

15.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 IQD 727

$1.31 ₱82.8

-63.36%

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

$16.9K IQD 25.5M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-20.50%

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

$19.4K IQD 29.3M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

1.27%

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

$80.2 IQD 121.1K

$120 ₱7,566

-33.34%

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

$13.58 IQD 20.5K

$14.00 ₱881

-3.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.25 IQD 41.2K

$27.54 ₱1,733

-1.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.01 IQD 55.9K

$32.33 ₱2,034

14.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱418

Cinema Ticket

$8.39 IQD 12.7K

$5.65 ₱355

48.50%

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

$142 IQD 213.9K

$275 ₱17.3K

-48.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,656 IQD 4.0M

$7,918 ₱498.3K

-66.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.08 IQD 33.4K

$49.33 ₱3,105

-55.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.85 IQD 36.0K

$25.24 ₱1,589

-5.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.26 IQD 71.4K

$77.0 ₱4,844

-38.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.06 IQD 46.9K

$57.2 ₱3,600

-45.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 IQD 277.8K

$500 ₱31.4K

-63.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 IQD 213.2K

$309 ₱19.4K

-54.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 IQD 541.4K

$1,078 ₱67.8K

-66.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 IQD 419.4K

$615 ₱38.7K

-54.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$779 IQD 1.2M

$2,886 ₱181.6K

-73.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$642 IQD 970.8K

$1,917 ₱120.6K

-66.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

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 'aqrah: October 13, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

'aqrah

$160 24.2%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 28.7% $46

Accommodation & Living

'aqrah

$141 21.4%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 119% $168

Monthly Utilities & Internet

'aqrah

$121 18.3%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 33.7% $41

Eating Out

'aqrah

$101 15.3%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 12.4% $13

Clothing & Footwear

'aqrah

$56 8.5%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 68% $38

Sport & Entertainment

'aqrah

$54 8.1%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 18.9% $10

Getting Around

'aqrah

$28 4.3%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 44.6% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $184 in 'aqrah and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22.00 in 'aqrah vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 vs $206 per month, with 'aqrah cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 'aqrah

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

06:55 6:55 AM

11:55 11:55 AM

5 h ahead of 'aqrah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

68,100

964,169

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.88 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 = 1,701 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.93 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.86 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to IQD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

'aqrah Cebu 8,440 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

'aqrah
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

'aqrah vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'aqrah wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Cebu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making 'aqrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $991 in 'aqrah and $1,377 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $184 in 'aqrah versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $661 per month in 'aqrah versus $918 in Cebu – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in 'aqrah runs roughly 38% 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 'aqrah 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 'aqrah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $661 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes 'aqrah hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, 'aqrah 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 'aqrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.