For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,844 in Bergen, rent and utilities included – about $22,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Bergen and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,844 in Bergen versus $934 in Cebu.
Bergen $2,844
Cebu $934
Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,282 in Bergen versus $1,415 in Cebu.
Bergen $4,282
Cebu $1,415
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,719 in Bergen versus $1,896 in Cebu.
Bergen $5,719
Cebu $1,896
🌍
Living in Bergen is roughly 205% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Bergen is 112% above, Cebu is 30% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.98NOK 219
$3.03₱190
658.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$135NOK 1,292
$23.48₱1,473
476.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.52NOK 148
$4.09₱256
279.46%
Cappuccino
$5.42NOK 51.8
$2.52₱158
115.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.10NOK 48.71
$1.54₱96.9
231.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47NOK 42.65
$0.49₱30.98
812.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$12.57NOK 120
$1.79₱112
602.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$10.41NOK 99.4
$2.26₱142
360.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15NOK 20.57
$1.95₱122
10.26%
White Bread(500g)
$3.78NOK 36.13
$1.43₱89.7
164.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.51NOK 33.54
$1.02₱63.8
244.12%
Eggs
$6.41NOK 61.3
$2.06₱129
211.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.32NOK 137
$9.81₱615
45.97%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$17.21NOK 164
$4.61₱289
273.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$36.16NOK 345
$7.70₱483
369.61%
Apples(1kg)
$4.12NOK 39.38
$3.31₱207
24.47%
Banana(1kg)
$2.72NOK 25.95
$1.45₱90.9
87.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.61NOK 34.44
$2.36₱148
52.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.39NOK 51.4
$1.54₱96.4
250.00%
Potato(1kg)
$2.52NOK 24.02
$2.36₱148
6.78%
Onion(1kg)
$3.35NOK 31.97
$1.99₱125
68.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.86NOK 27.34
$1.15₱72.1
148.70%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.78NOK 17.03
$0.67₱42.15
165.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$17.10NOK 163
$3.00₱188
470.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.97NOK 172
$6.35₱398
182.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.59NOK 34.31
$1.31₱81.9
174.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.21NOK 40.20
$1.73₱108
143.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$5.15NOK 49.21
$0.25₱15.78
1960.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$86.4NOK 825
$12.65₱793
583.24%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$12.39NOK 118
$0.74₱46.32
1574.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.84NOK 17.61
$0.21₱13.11
776.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$70.5NOK 674
$4.33₱271
1528.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.35NOK 22.42
$1.33₱83.5
76.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.6KNOK 463.7K
$21.8K₱1.4M
123.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.3KNOK 413.9K
$19.4K₱1.2M
123.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$275NOK 2,623
$121₱7,563
127.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.93NOK 314
$14.45₱907
127.89%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$82.9NOK 791
$28.29₱1,774
192.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.61NOK 436
$32.68₱2,050
39.57%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$41.77NOK 399
$6.39₱401
553.68%
Cinema Ticket
$18.87NOK 180
$5.46₱342
245.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$238NOK 2,272
$273₱17.1K
-12.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.0KNOK 114.9K
$8,156₱511.5K
47.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$107NOK 1,022
$49.57₱3,109
115.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.6NOK 522
$24.87₱1,560
119.58%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$118NOK 1,128
$76.6₱4,804
54.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162NOK 1,545
$59.3₱3,717
172.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,414NOK 13.5K
$506₱31.7K
179.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,083NOK 10.3K
$309₱19.4K
250.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,348NOK 22.4K
$1,052₱66.0K
123.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,696NOK 16.2K
$619₱38.8K
173.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,822NOK 74.7K
$2,915₱182.9K
168.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,769NOK 45.5K
$1,867₱117.1K
155.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,527NOK 43.2K
$341₱21.4K
1227.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.27
7.2
-26.81%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Bergen: October 3, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 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
Bergen
$1.1K 38.3%
Cebu
$309 33.5% ↓ 71.4%$774
🛒Groceries & Markets
Bergen
$524 18.6%
Cebu
$210 22.7% ↓ 59.9%$314
🍽Eating Out
Bergen
$417 14.8%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 78.8%$329
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
$390 13.8%
Cebu
$163 17.7% ↓ 58.2%$227
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
$199 7%
Cebu
$95 10.2% ↓ 52.4%$104
🚌Getting Around
Bergen
$129 4.6%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 88%$113
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
$83 3%
Cebu
$44 4.7% ↓ 47.7%$40
🏠Accommodation & Living
Bergen
$1.7K 29.4%
Cebu
$619 32.4% ↓ 63.5%$1.1K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Bergen
$1.2K 21.3%
Cebu
$493 25.8% ↓ 59.8%$732
🍽Eating Out
Bergen
$1.5K 26%
Cebu
$288 15.1% ↓ 80.7%$1.2K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
$423 7.4%
Cebu
$178 9.3% ↓ 58%$246
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
$441 7.7%
Cebu
$210 11% ↓ 52.4%$231
🚌Getting Around
Bergen
$268 4.7%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 88.3%$236
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
$208 3.6%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 55.1%$115
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Bergen and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bergen pays 1227% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $135 in Bergen vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $524 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
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
Bergen vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Bergen?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 205% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Bergen or Cebu?
Average pay runs 1227% higher in Bergen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Bergen and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,414 in Bergen versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $238 in Bergen versus $273 in Cebu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Bergen and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 149% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Bergen or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $2,844 in Bergen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Bergen or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bergen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Bergen or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Bergen 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 205% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.