Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bathurst and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,495 in Bathurst, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bathurst
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,495
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,495 per month in Bathurst vs $918 in Cebu, rent included.

  • Bathurst $2,495
  • Cebu $918

A couple spends around $3,607 per month in Bathurst vs $1,409 in Cebu, rent included.

  • Bathurst $3,607
  • Cebu $1,409

A family of three spends $4,719 per month in Bathurst vs $1,900 in Cebu, rent included.

  • Bathurst $4,719
  • Cebu $1,900

Bathurst costs about 172% more than Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bathurst sits 85% above the global median, while Cebu is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bathurst
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.07 A$21.69
$3.09 ₱194
387.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.3 A$120
$24.22 ₱1,525
244.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 A$15.17
$3.92 ₱247
168.88%
Cappuccino
$3.76 A$5.41
$2.51 ₱158
49.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 A$4.22
$1.59 ₱100
84.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 A$3.18
$0.53 ₱33.43
316.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.94 A$7.11
$1.78 ₱112
177.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.57 A$10.90
$2.17 ₱137
248.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bathurst
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.90 A$2.74
$1.92 ₱121
-1.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.74 A$3.94
$1.36 ₱85.4
101.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.27 A$3.27
$1.01 ₱63.5
124.75%
Eggs
$4.91 A$7.06
$2.03 ₱128
141.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.25 A$13.31
$9.86 ₱621
-6.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.55 A$13.74
$4.39 ₱277
117.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.70 A$21.16
$7.60 ₱479
93.42%
Apples (1kg)
$3.94 A$5.67
$3.30 ₱208
19.39%
Banana (1kg)
$3.04 A$4.38
$1.39 ₱87.8
118.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.32 A$4.78
$2.33 ₱147
42.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.51 A$6.49
$1.50 ₱94.3
200.67%
Potato (1kg)
$2.68 A$3.86
$2.36 ₱149
13.56%
Onion (1kg)
$2.32 A$3.34
$1.90 ₱119
22.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.42 A$3.48
$1.19 ₱74.9
103.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 A$2.32
$0.63 ₱39.71
155.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$41.35 A$59.5
$3.00 ₱189
1278.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.80 A$19.85
$6.03 ₱379
128.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.83 A$6.95
$1.23 ₱77.7
292.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.17 A$7.44
$1.75 ₱110
195.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Bathurst
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.92 A$4.20
$0.25 ₱15.86
1068.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$82.4 A$119
$12.64 ₱796
551.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.43 A$4.94
$0.77 ₱48.62
345.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 A$2.25
$0.23 ₱14.53
578.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.22 A$56.4
$4.46 ₱281
779.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 A$1.86
$1.31 ₱82.8
-1.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.0K A$38.9K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
27.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8K A$42.9K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
55.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bathurst
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$199 A$286
$120 ₱7,569
65.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.97 A$59.0
$14.00 ₱882
192.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.2 A$88.1
$27.54 ₱1,734
122.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bathurst
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.8 A$78.8
$32.33 ₱2,035
69.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.57 A$25.28
$6.65 ₱419
164.21%
Cinema Ticket
$14.86 A$21.38
$5.65 ₱356
163.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bathurst
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,122 A$3,054
$275 ₱17.3K
670.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.3K A$29.2K
$7,918 ₱498.5K
156.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bathurst
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.2 A$113
$49.33 ₱3,106
58.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.7 A$78.7
$25.24 ₱1,589
116.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 A$161
$77.0 ₱4,846
45.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 A$176
$57.2 ₱3,601
114.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bathurst
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,398 A$2,011
$500 ₱31.5K
179.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 A$1,739
$309 ₱19.4K
291.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,183 A$3,141
$1,078 ₱67.9K
102.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,830 A$2,633
$615 ₱38.7K
197.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,771 A$8,305
$2,886 ₱181.7K
99.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,885 A$7,030
$1,917 ₱120.7K
154.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bathurst
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$346 ₱21.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.84
7.2
-18.89%

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

Last update for Bathurst: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bathurst
$1.2K
Cebu
$309 74.4% $899
Groceries & Markets
Bathurst
$372
Cebu
$206 44.7% $166
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bathurst
$301
Cebu
$162 46.3% $139
Eating Out
Bathurst
$258
Cebu
$88 65.8% $170
Clothing & Footwear
Bathurst
$165
Cebu
$94 43.1% $71
Getting Around
Bathurst
$105
Cebu
$16 85.2% $90
Sport & Entertainment
Bathurst
$85
Cebu
$44 48.4% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,398 in Bathurst 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Bathurst versus $24.00 in Cebu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $206 – making Cebu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Bathurst
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
03:00 3:00 AM
00:00 12:00 AM
3 h behind Bathurst
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
36,230
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bathurst Cebu 5,570 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bathurst
  • 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
Bathurst vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Bathurst?
Yes – Bathurst is pricier by about 172%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,742 per month in Bathurst and $1,377 in Cebu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 552% less in Cebu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,122 per month in Bathurst and $275 in Cebu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Bathurst or in Cebu?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cebu, where all-in costs run around $918, than in Bathurst at $2,495. In Cebu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bathurst it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bathurst or Cebu more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cebu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Bathurst or 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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cebu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bathurst makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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