For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,828 in Bastia, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most 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 Bastia and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,828 per month in Bastia vs $918 in Cebu, rent included.
Bastia $1,828
Cebu $918
A couple spends around $2,813 per month in Bastia vs $1,409 in Cebu, rent included.
Bastia $2,813
Cebu $1,409
A family of three spends $3,799 per month in Bastia vs $1,900 in Cebu, rent included.
Bastia $3,799
Cebu $1,900
😐
Bastia costs about 99% more than Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Bastia sits 35% above the global median, while Cebu is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Bastia
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.54€14.71
$3.09₱194
435.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.8€59.4
$24.22₱1,525
175.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.27€11.81
$3.92₱247
238.52%
Cappuccino
$3.80€3.38
$2.51₱158
51.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18€2.83
$1.59₱100
100.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82€1.62
$0.53₱33.43
243.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.28€7.36
$1.78₱112
365.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.58€4.96
$2.17₱137
157.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bastia
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28€1.14
$1.92₱121
-33.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85€1.64
$1.36₱85.4
36.03%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.57€2.29
$1.01₱63.5
154.46%
Eggs
$4.17€3.71
$2.03₱128
105.42%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.18€17.06
$9.86₱621
94.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.39€11.02
$4.39₱277
182.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.79€19.39
$7.60₱479
186.71%
Apples(1kg)
$3.05€2.71
$3.30₱208
-7.58%
Banana(1kg)
$2.27€2.02
$1.39₱87.8
63.31%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.00€2.67
$2.33₱147
28.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.35€2.98
$1.50₱94.3
123.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.92€1.71
$2.36₱149
-18.64%
Onion(1kg)
$2.21€1.97
$1.90₱119
16.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.44€1.28
$1.19₱74.9
21.01%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73€0.65
$0.63₱39.71
15.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.88€12.35
$3.00₱189
362.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.71€6.85
$6.03₱379
27.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.69€2.39
$1.23₱77.7
118.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40€3.02
$1.75₱110
94.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Bastia
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.87€1.67
$0.25₱15.86
648.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$47.23€42.01
$12.64₱796
273.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.03€4.47
$0.77₱48.62
553.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.11€1.88
$0.23₱14.53
817.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.79€30.06
$4.46₱281
657.62%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.17€1.93
$1.31₱82.8
65.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.6K€30.8K
$21.2K₱1.3M
62.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.9K€31.1K
$19.1K₱1.2M
82.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bastia
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$209€185
$120₱7,569
73.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.96€14.20
$14.00₱882
14.00%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.53€28.94
$27.54₱1,734
18.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bastia
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.50€31.58
$32.33₱2,035
9.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.73€12.21
$5.65₱356
143.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bastia
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$797€709
$275₱17.3K
189.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.7K€9,476
$7,918₱498.5K
34.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bastia
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.4€83.1
$49.33₱3,106
89.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.56€36.97
$25.24₱1,589
64.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€91.6
$77.0₱4,846
33.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135€120
$57.2₱3,601
136.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bastia
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$764€680
$500₱31.5K
52.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$618€550
$309₱19.4K
100.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,373€1,221
$1,078₱67.9K
27.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,123€999
$615₱38.7K
82.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,939€3,504
$2,886₱181.7K
36.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,014€2,681
$1,917₱120.7K
57.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bastia
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,580€1,406
$346₱21.8K
356.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4
7.2
-44.44%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Bastia: October 10, 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
Bastia
$618 33.8%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 50.1%$310
🛒Groceries & Markets
Bastia
$361 19.8%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 43%$155
🍽Eating Out
Bastia
$290 15.9%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 69.6%$202
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bastia
$257 14.1%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 37.1%$95
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Bastia
$168 9.2%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 44%$74
🚌Getting Around
Bastia
$70 3.9%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 77.9%$55
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Bastia
$63 3.4%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 30.7%$19
🏠Accommodation & Living
Bastia
$1.1K 29.6%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 45.2%$508
🛒Groceries & Markets
Bastia
$852 22.4%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 43.3%$369
🍽Eating Out
Bastia
$908 23.9%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 67.8%$616
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bastia
$273 7.2%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 35.6%$97
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Bastia
$373 9.8%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 44%$164
🚌Getting Around
Bastia
$144 3.8%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 78.1%$113
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Bastia
$126 * 3.3%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 25.4%$32
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $764 in Bastia 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 357% higher in Bastia, 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 $67.0 in Bastia versus $24.00 in Cebu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 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
Bastia vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bastia or Cebu?
Bastia costs about 99% 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 Bastia and in Cebu?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,742 per month in Bastia 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, Bastia 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 do dining costs compare in Bastia and in Cebu?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Bastia and $24.00 in Cebu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Bastia compared to Cebu?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,828 in Bastia and $918 in Cebu. That's a gap of about 99%.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Bastia or in Cebu?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cebu, where all-in costs run around $918, than in Bastia at $1,828. In Cebu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bastia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bastia or Cebu?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cebu costs $918 versus $1,828 in Bastia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Bastia 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 Bastia or to Cebu?
If budget matters most, go with Cebu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bastia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.