Cost of Living Comparison Between Baia Mare and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Baia Mare and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $924 in Baia Mare versus $931 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,448 in Baia Mare versus $1,439 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,972 in Baia Mare versus $1,947 in Cebu.

Living in Baia Mare costs roughly 1% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baia Mare 32% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.10 RON 60.0

$3.05 ₱191

329.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.03 RON 156

$23.09 ₱1,451

47.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 RON 40.83

$4.03 ₱253

121.09%

Cappuccino

$2.19 RON 10.03

$2.58 ₱162

-15.12%

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

$1.90 RON 8.69

$1.53 ₱96.1

24.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 RON 6.61

$0.53 ₱33.37

171.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 RON 7.44

$1.71 ₱108

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 RON 10.24

$2.27 ₱143

-1.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.28

$1.87 ₱118

-14.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 RON 6.70

$1.34 ₱84.2

8.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.20

$1.02 ₱64.3

53.92%

Eggs

$2.90 RON 13.29

$1.96 ₱123

47.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 RON 29.87

$9.93 ₱624

-34.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.17 RON 32.87

$4.58 ₱288

56.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 RON 51.2

$7.45 ₱468

49.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.44

$3.46 ₱217

-65.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.41

$1.45 ₱91.4

11.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 RON 6.59

$2.39 ₱150

-39.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 RON 12.84

$1.55 ₱97.6

80.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.76

$2.31 ₱145

-54.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 RON 5.33

$1.88 ₱118

-38.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 RON 5.14

$1.23 ₱77.2

-8.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RON 3.70

$0.62 ₱39.16

30.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.74 RON 30.90

$3.01 ₱189

123.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 RON 22.41

$6.13 ₱385

-20.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.98

$1.29 ₱81.3

-15.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 RON 7.62

$1.70 ₱107

-2.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 RON 3.10

$0.25 ₱15.74

172.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 RON 71.3

$12.35 ₱776

25.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$0.79 ₱49.81

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.93

$0.20 ₱12.54

330.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 RON 28.02

$4.40 ₱276

39.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 RON 7.91

$1.31 ₱82.2

32.06%

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

$29.8K RON 136.6K

$21.6K ₱1.4M

38.00%

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

$25.5K RON 117.0K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

32.19%

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

$111 RON 509

$122 ₱7,694

-9.23%

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

$16.04 RON 73.5

$15.08 ₱948

6.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.25 RON 56.1

$28.10 ₱1,765

-56.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.14 RON 184

$31.67 ₱1,990

26.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.00 RON 77.9

$6.65 ₱418

155.64%

Cinema Ticket

$10.26 RON 47.02

$5.40 ₱339

90.00%

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

$557 RON 2,553

$278 ₱17.5K

100.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,636 RON 25.8K

$7,849 ₱493.1K

-28.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.53 RON 177

$48.20 ₱3,028

-20.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.63 RON 200

$25.32 ₱1,591

72.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 RON 296

$76.3 ₱4,790

-15.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.7 RON 356

$58.1 ₱3,649

33.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 RON 1,298

$489 ₱30.7K

-42.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 RON 990

$307 ₱19.3K

-29.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 RON 2,325

$1,075 ₱67.5K

-52.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 RON 1,766

$636 ₱39.9K

-39.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,083 RON 9,540

$2,871 ₱180.4K

-27.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,494 RON 6,842

$1,912 ₱120.1K

-21.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$909 RON 4,162

$335 ₱21.0K

171.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.48

7.2

3.89%

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

Last update for Baia Mare: September 15, 2026

Last update for Cebu: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Baia Mare and $489 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baia Mare pays 172% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Baia Mare vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $208 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

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

Baia Mare vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baia Mare is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 172% higher in Baia Mare, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $283 in Baia Mare versus $489 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Baia Mare versus $278 in Cebu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Baia Mare gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Baia Mare is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Baia Mare 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 Baia Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.