Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahir Dar and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $368 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$368

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $368 per month in Bahir Dar vs $934 in Cebu, rent included.

Bahir Dar $368
Cebu $934

A couple spends around $571 per month in Bahir Dar vs $1,415 in Cebu, rent included.

Bahir Dar $571
Cebu $1,415

A family of three spends $774 per month in Bahir Dar vs $1,896 in Cebu, rent included.

Bahir Dar $774
Cebu $1,896

Bahir Dar is about 61% cheaper than Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bahir Dar and Cebu are more affordable than the global median – Bahir Dar 73% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 ETB 560

$3.03 ₱190

14.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

Cappuccino

$1.02 ETB 163

$2.52 ₱158

-59.52%

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

$0.42 ETB 66.9

$1.54 ₱96.9

-72.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ETB 77.4

$0.49 ₱30.98

-2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 ETB 125

$1.79 ₱112

-56.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ETB 319

$2.26 ₱142

-11.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ETB 164

$1.95 ₱122

-47.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ETB 165

$1.43 ₱89.7

-27.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 158

$1.02 ₱63.8

-3.92%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 277

$2.06 ₱129

-16.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ETB 1,604

$7.70 ₱483

29.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 ETB 486

$3.31 ₱207

-8.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 156

$1.45 ₱90.9

-33.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ETB 317

$2.36 ₱148

-16.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 ETB 134

$1.54 ₱96.4

-46.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 100

$2.36 ₱148

-73.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ETB 180

$1.99 ₱125

-43.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ETB 157

$1.15 ₱72.1

-14.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ETB 82.7

$0.67 ₱42.15

-23.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

Wine (Bottle)

$3.89 ETB 625

$6.35 ₱398

-38.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ETB 132

$1.31 ₱81.9

-37.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ETB 314

$1.73 ₱108

12.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ETB 77.3

$0.21 ₱13.11

128.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ETB 324

$4.33 ₱271

-53.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 ETB 158

$1.33 ₱83.5

-26.32%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

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

$98.4 ETB 15.8K

$121 ₱7,563

-18.44%

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

$10.01 ETB 1,609

$14.45 ₱907

-30.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.08 ETB 7,886

$32.68 ₱2,050

50.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.4 ETB 9,710

$6.39 ₱401

845.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 ETB 968

$5.46 ₱342

10.44%

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

$50.3 ETB 8,077

$273 ₱17.1K

-81.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 ETB 8,099

$49.57 ₱3,109

1.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

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)

$2,002 ETB 321.7K

$2,915 ₱182.9K

-31.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,488 ETB 239.1K

$1,867 ₱117.1K

-20.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$197 ETB 31.6K

$341 ₱21.4K

-42.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bahir Dar

–

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Groceries & Markets

Bahir Dar

–

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bahir Dar

–

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Bahir Dar

–

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Eating Out

Bahir Dar

–

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Bahir Dar

–

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Getting Around

Bahir Dar

–

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 73% higher in Cebu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

13:07 1:07 PM

18:07 6:07 PM

5 h ahead of Bahir Dar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

350,000

964,169

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇹 Ethiopian Birr (Br)

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.28 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to ETB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bahir Dar Cebu 9,400 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Bahir Dar
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

Bahir Dar vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu costs about 154% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $551 per month in Bahir Dar and $1,401 in Cebu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $368 in Bahir Dar and $934 in Cebu. That's a gap of about 154%.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Cebu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $368 in Bahir Dar and $934 in Cebu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bahir Dar costs $368 versus $934 in Cebu. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Bahir Dar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cebu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.