Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barra and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Barra: $105 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Barra

🇬🇲 Gambia

$105

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $105 per month in Barra vs $934 in Cebu, rent included.

Barra $105
Cebu $934

A couple spends around $178 per month in Barra vs $1,415 in Cebu, rent included.

Barra $178
Cebu $1,415

A family of three spends $251 per month in Barra vs $1,896 in Cebu, rent included.

Barra $251
Cebu $1,896

Barra is about 89% cheaper than Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Barra and Cebu are more affordable than the global median – Barra 92% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱191

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,476

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱257

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

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

$1.54 ₱97.2

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱113

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 GMD 68.5

$1.43 ₱89.9

-34.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

Eggs

$2.50 GMD 182

$2.06 ₱129

21.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱617

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 GMD 507

$4.61 ₱290

50.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱484

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 GMD 145

$1.45 ₱91.2

37.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 GMD 203

$2.36 ₱148

17.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 GMD 150

$1.54 ₱96.6

33.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 GMD 81.2

$2.36 ₱148

-52.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 GMD 56.7

$1.99 ₱125

-60.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 GMD 32.67

$0.67 ₱42.26

-32.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱399

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 GMD 77.4

$1.31 ₱82.1

-19.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.44

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

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)

$121 ₱7,583

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

$14.45 ₱909

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,779

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,055

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱402

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱343

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

$273 ₱17.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱512.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,117

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,564

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,817

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,727

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱183.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.5K

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 Barra: 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

Barra

–

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Groceries & Markets

Barra

–

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Barra

–

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Barra

–

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Eating Out

Barra

–

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Barra

–

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Getting Around

Barra

–

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Good to know

🇬🇲 Barra

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

05:03 5:03 AM

13:03 1:03 PM

8 h ahead of Barra

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,020

964,169

💱 Currency

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 GMD = 1.37 USD

100 GMD = 1.22 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to GMD – Gambian Dalasi Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇲 Gambian Dalasi (D)

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 73 GMD (100 GMD = 1.37 USD). 1 EUR = 81.88 GMD (100 GMD = 1.22 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to GMD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Barra Cebu 14,910 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Barra
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

Barra vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cebu is pricier by about 792%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $157 per month in Barra 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 $105 in Barra and $934 in Cebu. That's a gap of about 792%.

Groceries cost about 104% more in Cebu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $105 in Barra and $934 in Cebu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Barra – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Barra. 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.