For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $915 a month against $2,808 in Askim, rent and utilities included – about $22,700 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 Askim and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,808 in Askim versus $915 in Cebu.
Askim $2,808
Cebu $915
Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,262 in Askim versus $1,418 in Cebu.
Askim $4,262
Cebu $1,418
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,717 in Askim versus $1,921 in Cebu.
Askim $5,717
Cebu $1,921
🌍
Living in Askim is roughly 207% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Askim is 107% above, Cebu is 33% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Askim
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.69NOK 195
$3.05₱192
578.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$125NOK 1,177
$24.00₱1,511
421.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.56NOK 146
$3.99₱251
289.97%
Cappuccino
$5.87NOK 55.3
$2.50₱157
134.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.19NOK 39.43
$1.54₱97.1
172.08%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45NOK 32.47
$0.50₱31.37
590.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.55NOK 109
$1.78₱112
548.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$12.45NOK 117
$2.17₱136
473.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Askim
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.44NOK 22.94
$2.00₱126
22.00%
White Bread(500g)
$4.23NOK 39.81
$1.37₱86.2
208.76%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.53NOK 42.62
$1.03₱64.9
339.81%
Eggs
$6.01NOK 56.6
$2.03₱128
196.06%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.63NOK 138
$10.20₱642
43.43%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.70NOK 148
$4.45₱280
252.81%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$31.27NOK 294
$7.67₱483
307.69%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39NOK 31.93
$3.31₱208
2.42%
Banana(1kg)
$2.59NOK 24.42
$1.46₱91.8
77.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.39NOK 31.96
$2.32₱146
46.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.94NOK 55.9
$1.49₱94.0
298.66%
Potato(1kg)
$2.76NOK 25.95
$2.34₱147
17.95%
Onion(1kg)
$2.90NOK 27.34
$1.94₱122
49.48%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.09NOK 29.11
$1.16₱73.0
166.38%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.39NOK 22.47
$0.68₱42.89
251.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$19.01NOK 179
$2.99₱188
535.79%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.31NOK 154
$6.24₱393
161.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.54NOK 33.31
$1.23₱77.3
187.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33NOK 40.76
$1.73₱109
150.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Askim
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.54NOK 42.73
$0.23₱14.36
1873.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$84.4NOK 794
$12.34₱777
583.71%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$11.72NOK 110
$0.79₱49.96
1383.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.84NOK 17.34
$0.22₱13.86
736.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$68.5NOK 644
$4.54₱286
1407.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.36NOK 22.18
$1.32₱82.9
78.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.0KNOK 460.8K
$21.0K₱1.3M
133.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.9KNOK 356.3K
$19.4K₱1.2M
95.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Askim
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$417NOK 3,928
$119₱7,464
251.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.62NOK 316
$14.22₱896
136.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.4NOK 503
$27.47₱1,730
94.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Askim
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$50.2NOK 472
$32.31₱2,034
55.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.88NOK 347
$6.50₱409
467.38%
Cinema Ticket
$15.42NOK 145
$5.40₱340
185.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Askim
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$238NOK 2,245
$276₱17.4K
-13.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.3KNOK 143.9K
$7,866₱495.3K
94.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Askim
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$100NOK 942
$49.37₱3,108
102.71%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.8NOK 563
$24.58₱1,548
143.45%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$133NOK 1,248
$76.6₱4,825
72.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$158NOK 1,487
$58.9₱3,706
168.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Askim
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,194NOK 11.2K
$503₱31.7K
137.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$986NOK 9,280
$305₱19.2K
223.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,969NOK 18.5K
$1,075₱67.7K
83.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,679NOK 15.8K
$632₱39.8K
165.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,007NOK 56.6K
$2,870₱180.7K
109.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,059NOK 38.2K
$1,877₱118.2K
116.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Askim
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,161NOK 39.2K
$336₱21.1K
1138.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.94
7.2
-31.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Askim: October 20, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 19, 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
Askim
$986 35.1%
Cebu
$305 33.3% ↓ 69.1%$681
🛒Groceries & Markets
Askim
$515 18.3%
Cebu
$210 22.9% ↓ 59.3%$305
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Askim
$504 18%
Cebu
$160 17.5% ↓ 68.2%$344
🍽Eating Out
Askim
$396 14.1%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 77.8%$308
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Askim
$203 7.2%
Cebu
$94 10.3% ↓ 53.5%$108
🚌Getting Around
Askim
$123 4.4%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 87.7%$108
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Askim
$81 2.9%
Cebu
$43 4.7% ↓ 46.8%$38
🏠Accommodation & Living
Askim
$1.7K 29.4%
Cebu
$632 32.9% ↓ 62.3%$1K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Askim
$1.2K 20.8%
Cebu
$491 25.6% ↓ 58.7%$699
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Askim
$538 9.4%
Cebu
$174 9.1% ↓ 67.6%$363
🍽Eating Out
Askim
$1.4K 24.6%
Cebu
$290 15.1% ↓ 79.4%$1.1K
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Askim
$450 7.9%
Cebu
$209 10.9% ↓ 53.5%$241
🚌Getting Around
Askim
$256 4.5%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 88%$225
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Askim
$199 3.5%
Cebu
$93 4.8% ↓ 53.4%$106
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,194 in Askim and $503 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Askim pays 1139% 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: $125 in Askim vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $515 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
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
Askim vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Askim and in Cebu?
Askim and Cebu differ by about 207% in total monthly costs ($2,808 vs $915 including rent). Cebu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Askim or Cebu?
Average pay runs 1139% higher in Askim, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Askim and in Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,194 in Askim versus $503 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Cebu – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $125 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Askim or Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,808 per month in Askim versus $915 in Cebu – a 207% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $915 in Cebu versus $2,808 in Askim, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Askim. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Askim and Cebu?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Askim or Cebu safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Askim 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.
Where should expats move: Askim or Cebu?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 207% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.