Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bata and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,431 in Bata, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Other living expenses 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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Bata

🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea

$1,431

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,431 per month in Bata vs $934 in Cebu, rent included.

Bata $1,431
Cebu $934

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Bata vs $1,415 in Cebu, rent included.

Bata $2,144
Cebu $1,415

A family of three spends $2,857 per month in Bata vs $1,896 in Cebu, rent included.

Bata $2,857
Cebu $1,896

Bata costs about 53% more than Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Bata sits 7% above the global median, while Cebu is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.92 FCFA 11.1K

$3.03 ₱190

524.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.97 FCFA 25.1K

$23.48 ₱1,473

83.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

Cappuccino

$2.55 FCFA 1,493

$2.52 ₱158

1.19%

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

$1.36 FCFA 793

$1.54 ₱96.9

-11.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 FCFA 502

$0.49 ₱30.98

75.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 FCFA 2,072

$1.79 ₱112

97.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 FCFA 2,513

$2.26 ₱142

89.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 FCFA 1,021

$1.95 ₱122

-10.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 FCFA 1,862

$1.43 ₱89.7

122.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 FCFA 896

$1.02 ₱63.8

50.00%

Eggs

$2.14 FCFA 1,251

$2.06 ₱129

3.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 FCFA 6,056

$9.81 ₱615

5.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.44 FCFA 4,939

$4.61 ₱289

83.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 FCFA 6,077

$7.70 ₱483

34.94%

Apples (1kg)

$10.45 FCFA 6,115

$3.31 ₱207

215.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 FCFA 1,002

$1.45 ₱90.9

17.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.56 FCFA 5,006

$2.36 ₱148

262.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 FCFA 2,057

$1.54 ₱96.4

128.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 FCFA 1,493

$2.36 ₱148

8.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 FCFA 1,477

$1.99 ₱125

26.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 FCFA 523

$1.15 ₱72.1

-22.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 FCFA 776

$0.67 ₱42.15

98.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 FCFA 3,031

$3.00 ₱188

72.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 FCFA 3,528

$6.35 ₱398

-5.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 FCFA 2,072

$1.31 ₱81.9

170.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 FCFA 501

$0.74 ₱46.32

16.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 FCFA 492

$0.21 ₱13.11

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 FCFA 644

$1.33 ₱83.5

-17.29%

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)

$354 FCFA 206.8K

$121 ₱7,563

193.19%

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

$14.45 ₱907

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 FCFA 30.3K

$28.29 ₱1,774

82.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 FCFA 40.3K

$32.68 ₱2,050

110.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

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

$273 ₱17.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 FCFA 45.9K

$49.57 ₱3,109

58.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.1 FCFA 39.9K

$24.87 ₱1,560

173.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 FCFA 85.0K

$76.6 ₱4,804

89.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 FCFA 82.2K

$59.3 ₱3,717

137.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 FCFA 229.4K

$506 ₱31.7K

-22.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 FCFA 127.1K

$309 ₱19.4K

-29.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 FCFA 324.3K

$1,052 ₱66.0K

-47.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 FCFA 201.3K

$619 ₱38.8K

-44.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$770 FCFA 450.5K

$341 ₱21.4K

125.76%

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 Bata: October 5, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bata

–

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Groceries & Markets

Bata

–

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bata

–

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Bata

–

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Eating Out

Bata

–

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Bata

–

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Getting Around

Bata

–

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Bata versus $506 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 126% higher in Bata, 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 $43.00 in Bata versus $23.00 in Cebu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $210 – making Cebu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇶 Bata

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

07:06 7:06 AM

14:06 2:06 PM

7 h ahead of Bata

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

230,282

964,169

💱 Currency

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to XAF – Central African CFA Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 Central African CFA Franc (Fr)

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to XAF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bata Cebu 12,600 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Bata
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

Bata vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bata costs about 53% more than Cebu, 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 $2,146 per month in Bata and $1,401 in Cebu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,431 in Bata and $934 in Cebu. That's a gap of about 53%.

Groceries cost about 64% more in Bata, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cebu, where all-in costs run around $934, than in Bata at $1,431. In Cebu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bata it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cebu costs $934 versus $1,431 in Bata. 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 Cebu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bata makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.