Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethlehem and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,603 in Bethlehem, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Bethlehem
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Bethlehem Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Bethlehem

🇵🇸 Palestine

$1,603

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,603 per month in Bethlehem vs $918 in Cebu, rent included.

Bethlehem $1,603
Cebu $918

A couple spends around $2,491 per month in Bethlehem vs $1,409 in Cebu, rent included.

Bethlehem $2,491
Cebu $1,409

A family of three spends $3,378 per month in Bethlehem vs $1,900 in Cebu, rent included.

Bethlehem $3,378
Cebu $1,900

Bethlehem costs about 75% more than Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Bethlehem sits 19% above the global median, while Cebu is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.24 ₪34.98

$3.09 ₱194

263.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.54 ₪154

$24.22 ₱1,525

104.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.10 ₪43.86

$3.92 ₱247

259.69%

Cappuccino

$4.63 ₪14.42

$2.51 ₱158

84.46%

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

$1.29 ₪4.00

$1.59 ₱100

-18.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₪3.16

$0.53 ₱33.43

92.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 ₪18.80

$1.78 ₱112

239.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 ₪25.60

$2.17 ₱137

279.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ₪6.17

$1.92 ₱121

3.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₪2.81

$1.36 ₱85.4

-33.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 ₪7.14

$1.01 ₱63.5

126.73%

Eggs

$2.62 ₪8.15

$2.03 ₱128

29.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 ₪32.53

$9.86 ₱621

6.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 ₪29.91

$4.39 ₱277

118.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.63 ₪64.2

$7.60 ₱479

171.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 ₪11.96

$3.30 ₱208

16.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ₪6.51

$1.39 ₱87.8

50.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ₪5.15

$2.33 ₱147

-29.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₪7.76

$1.50 ₱94.3

66.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 ₪4.43

$2.36 ₱149

-39.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 ₪5.13

$1.90 ₱119

-13.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₪5.04

$1.19 ₱74.9

36.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₪3.18

$0.63 ₱39.71

61.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.15 ₪31.58

$3.00 ₱189

238.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 ₪44.72

$6.03 ₱379

138.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₪7.25

$1.23 ₱77.7

89.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₪7.21

$1.75 ₱110

32.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 ₪7.64

$0.25 ₱15.86

884.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$145 ₪453

$12.64 ₱796

1050.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 ₪10.16

$0.77 ₱48.62

324.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.24 ₪10.07

$0.23 ₱14.53

1308.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 ₪10.02

$4.46 ₱281

-27.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.38 ₪7.42

$1.31 ₱82.8

81.68%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$40.3K ₪125.5K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

89.86%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$48.5K ₪150.9K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

153.37%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$196 ₪609

$120 ₱7,569

62.83%

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

$39.23 ₪122

$14.00 ₱882

180.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.64 ₪102

$27.54 ₱1,734

18.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.1 ₪203

$32.33 ₱2,035

101.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.04 ₪103

$6.65 ₱419

396.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 ₪24.81

$5.65 ₱356

41.06%

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

$99.0 ₪308

$275 ₱17.3K

-64.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,882 ₪30.7K

$7,918 ₱498.5K

24.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.66 ₪151

$49.33 ₱3,106

-1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$98.9 ₪308

$25.24 ₱1,589

291.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₪360

$77.0 ₱4,846

50.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 ₪512

$57.2 ₱3,601

187.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 ₪1,534

$500 ₱31.5K

-1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ₪1,032

$309 ₱19.4K

7.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 ₪2,732

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-18.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 ₪2,007

$615 ₱38.7K

4.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,595 ₪4,962

$2,886 ₱181.7K

-44.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 ₪3,595

$1,917 ₱120.7K

-39.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,320 ₪4,106

$346 ₱21.8K

281.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

38.89%

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

Last update for Bethlehem: October 13, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bethlehem

$332 20.7%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 6.9% $23

Groceries & Markets

Bethlehem

$312 19.5%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 34% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bethlehem

$268 16.7%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 39.6% $106

Eating Out

Bethlehem

$244 15.2%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 63.8% $155

Clothing & Footwear

Bethlehem

$192 12%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 51.2% $99

Getting Around

Bethlehem

$175 10.9%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 91.1% $159

Sport & Entertainment

Bethlehem

$81 5.1%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 46.2% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $493 in Bethlehem 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 281% higher in Bethlehem, 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 $50.0 in Bethlehem versus $24.00 in Cebu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $206 – making Cebu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇸 Bethlehem

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

23:54 11:54 PM

04:54 4:54 AM

5 h ahead of Bethlehem

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

29,019

964,169

💱 Currency

Israeli New Shekel ILS ₪

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1 ILS = 0.321 USD

1 ILS = 0.286 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to ILS – Israeli New Shekel Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇱 Israeli New Shekel (₪)

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.11 ILS (1 ILS = 0.321 USD). 1 EUR = 3.5 ILS (1 ILS = 0.286 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to ILS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bethlehem Cebu 9,290 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Bethlehem
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

Bethlehem vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bethlehem is pricier by about 75%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,405 per month in Bethlehem and $1,377 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 $1,603 in Bethlehem and $918 in Cebu. That's a gap of about 75%.

Public transport costs about 1051% less in Cebu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cebu, where all-in costs run around $918, than in Bethlehem at $1,603. In Cebu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bethlehem it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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, Bethlehem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.