For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,976 in Arad, rent and utilities included – about $24,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Arad and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,976 per month in Arad vs $918 in Cebu, rent included.
Arad $2,976
Cebu $918
A couple spends around $4,235 per month in Arad vs $1,409 in Cebu, rent included.
Arad $4,235
Cebu $1,409
A family of three spends $5,493 per month in Arad vs $1,900 in Cebu, rent included.
Arad $5,493
Cebu $1,900
😐
Arad costs about 224% more than Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Arad sits 120% above the global median, while Cebu is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Arad
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.95₪80.7
$3.09₱194
739.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.1₪286
$24.22₱1,525
280.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$20.04₪62.4
$3.92₱247
411.22%
Cappuccino
$4.81₪14.97
$2.51₱158
91.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98₪12.40
$1.59₱100
150.31%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67₪8.31
$0.53₱33.43
403.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.92₪30.86
$1.78₱112
457.30%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$10.27₪31.97
$2.17₱137
373.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Arad
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.57₪7.99
$1.92₱121
33.85%
White Bread(500g)
$5.61₪17.46
$1.36₱85.4
312.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.38₪10.51
$1.01₱63.5
234.65%
Eggs
$4.48₪13.95
$2.03₱128
120.69%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.12₪40.82
$9.86₱621
33.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$19.23₪59.8
$4.39₱277
338.04%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$26.55₪82.6
$7.60₱479
249.34%
Apples(1kg)
$6.38₪19.84
$3.30₱208
93.33%
Banana(1kg)
$3.20₪9.95
$1.39₱87.8
130.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.05₪9.50
$2.33₱147
30.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.17₪9.87
$1.50₱94.3
111.33%
Potato(1kg)
$2.10₪6.54
$2.36₱149
-11.02%
Onion(1kg)
$1.70₪5.28
$1.90₱119
-10.53%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.42₪7.51
$1.19₱74.9
103.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.56₪7.95
$0.63₱39.71
306.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.96₪31.00
$3.00₱189
232.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.22₪41.12
$6.03₱379
119.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.69₪14.58
$1.23₱77.7
281.30%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22₪13.14
$1.75₱110
141.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Arad
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.99₪9.29
$0.25₱15.86
1096.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$87.4₪272
$12.64₱796
591.46%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.24₪25.65
$0.77₱48.62
970.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.15₪3.59
$0.23₱14.53
400.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$28.86₪89.8
$4.46₱281
547.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.63₪8.17
$1.31₱82.8
100.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$58.2K₪181.2K
$21.2K₱1.3M
174.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$58.7K₪182.8K
$19.1K₱1.2M
206.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arad
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$336₪1,046
$120₱7,569
179.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.37₪38.47
$14.00₱882
-11.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.51₪154
$27.54₱1,734
79.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Arad
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$84.7₪264
$32.33₱2,035
161.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.53₪51.4
$5.65₱356
192.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Arad
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,643₪5,112
$275₱17.3K
496.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$30.1K₪93.5K
$7,918₱498.5K
279.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Arad
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103₪319
$49.33₱3,106
107.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$64.3₪200
$25.24₱1,589
154.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$176₪548
$77.0₱4,846
128.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$157₪487
$57.2₱3,601
173.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Arad
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,678₪5,222
$500₱31.5K
236.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,184₪3,683
$309₱19.4K
283.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,522₪7,846
$1,078₱67.9K
133.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,624₪5,053
$615₱38.7K
164.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$10.8K₪33.6K
$2,886₱181.7K
273.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$8,515₪26.5K
$1,917₱120.7K
344.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Arad
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,569₪7,992
$346₱21.8K
642.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.2
7.2
-27.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Arad: October 11, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Arad
$1.2K 39.8%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 73.9%$875
🛒Groceries & Markets
Arad
$516 17.3%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 60.1%$310
🍽Eating Out
Arad
$422 14.2%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 79.1%$334
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arad
$398 13.4%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 59.4%$236
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Arad
$225 7.6%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 58.2%$131
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Arad
$118 4%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 63%$74
🚌Getting Around
Arad
$113 3.8%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 86.3%$98
🏠Accommodation & Living
Arad
$1.6K 29.6%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 62.1%$1K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Arad
$1.2K 21.6%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 59.3%$704
🍽Eating Out
Arad
$1.3K 23.7%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 77.6%$1K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arad
$411 7.5%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 57.2%$235
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Arad
$500 9.1%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 58.2%$291
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Arad
$236 * 4.3%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 60.1%$142
🚌Getting Around
Arad
$233 4.2%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 86.4%$201
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,678 in Arad 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 643% higher in Arad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in Arad versus $24.00 in Cebu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $516 vs $206 – making Cebu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Arad vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Arad or Cebu?
Arad costs about 224% more than Cebu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Arad and in Cebu?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,464 per month in Arad and $1,377 in Cebu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Arad or Cebu?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cebu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Arad compared to Cebu?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,976 in Arad and $918 in Cebu. That's a gap of about 224%.
How expensive is transport in Arad compared to Cebu?
Public transport costs about 591% less in Cebu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Arad or in Cebu?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cebu, where all-in costs run around $918, than in Arad at $2,976. In Cebu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Arad or Cebu?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cebu costs $918 versus $2,976 in Arad. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Arad compared to Cebu?
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.
Should I move to Arad or to Cebu?
If budget matters most, go with Cebu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.