Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Biel and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,826 in Biel, rent and utilities included – about $22,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Biel
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$2,826
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,826 per month in Biel vs $918 in Cebu, rent included.

  • Biel $2,826
  • Cebu $918

A couple spends around $4,452 per month in Biel vs $1,409 in Cebu, rent included.

  • Biel $4,452
  • Cebu $1,409

A family of three spends $6,078 per month in Biel vs $1,900 in Cebu, rent included.

  • Biel $6,078
  • Cebu $1,900

Biel costs about 208% more than Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Biel sits 109% above the global median, while Cebu is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Biel
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.08 CHF 24.77
$3.09 ₱194
873.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$108 CHF 88.9
$24.22 ₱1,525
345.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$18.28 CHF 15.06
$3.92 ₱247
366.33%
Cappuccino
$6.07 CHF 5.00
$2.51 ₱158
141.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.17 CHF 4.26
$1.59 ₱100
225.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.13 CHF 3.40
$0.53 ₱33.43
679.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.77 CHF 6.40
$1.78 ₱112
336.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.91 CHF 4.04
$2.17 ₱137
126.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Biel
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.09 CHF 1.72
$1.92 ₱121
8.85%
White Bread (500g)
$3.78 CHF 3.11
$1.36 ₱85.4
177.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.30 CHF 2.72
$1.01 ₱63.5
226.73%
Eggs
$7.19 CHF 5.92
$2.03 ₱128
254.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.93 CHF 18.06
$9.86 ₱621
122.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$27.12 CHF 22.34
$4.39 ₱277
517.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$38.83 CHF 31.98
$7.60 ₱479
410.92%
Apples (1kg)
$3.06 CHF 2.52
$3.30 ₱208
-7.27%
Banana (1kg)
$2.04 CHF 1.68
$1.39 ₱87.8
46.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.46 CHF 2.02
$2.33 ₱147
5.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.10 CHF 2.55
$1.50 ₱94.3
106.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.47 CHF 1.21
$2.36 ₱149
-37.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 CHF 1.49
$1.90 ₱119
-4.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.04 CHF 1.68
$1.19 ₱74.9
71.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 CHF 0.87
$0.63 ₱39.71
66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.99 CHF 9.05
$3.00 ₱189
266.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.90 CHF 12.28
$6.03 ₱379
147.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 CHF 0.76
$1.23 ₱77.7
-25.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 CHF 1.46
$1.75 ₱110
1.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Biel
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.91 CHF 4.04
$0.25 ₱15.86
1864.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$93.3 CHF 76.9
$12.64 ₱796
638.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.84 CHF 6.46
$0.77 ₱48.62
918.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.53 CHF 3.73
$0.23 ₱14.53
1869.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$83.0 CHF 68.4
$4.46 ₱281
1761.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.22 CHF 1.83
$1.31 ₱82.8
69.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.7K CHF 34.4K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
96.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8K CHF 28.7K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
81.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Biel
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$137 CHF 113
$120 ₱7,569
14.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.74 CHF 29.43
$14.00 ₱882
155.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.2 CHF 41.30
$27.54 ₱1,734
82.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Biel
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 CHF 63.6
$32.33 ₱2,035
138.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65 ₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$21.92 CHF 18.05
$5.65 ₱356
287.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Biel
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,620 CHF 2,158
$275 ₱17.3K
851.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$37.2K CHF 30.6K
$7,918 ₱498.5K
369.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Biel
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 CHF 89.2
$49.33 ₱3,106
119.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.74 CHF 33.56
$25.24 ₱1,589
61.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$136 CHF 112
$77.0 ₱4,846
76.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$219 CHF 180
$57.2 ₱3,601
282.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Biel
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,240 CHF 1,022
$500 ₱31.5K
148.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,120 CHF 922
$309 ₱19.4K
262.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,275 CHF 1,874
$1,078 ₱67.9K
111.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,035 CHF 1,676
$615 ₱38.7K
230.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,683 CHF 7,975
$2,886 ₱181.7K
235.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,818 CHF 6,439
$1,917 ₱120.7K
307.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Biel
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,516 CHF 4,543
$346 ₱21.8K
1494.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1.68
7.2
-76.67%

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

Last update for Biel: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Biel
$1.1K
Cebu
$309 72.4% $811
Groceries & Markets
Biel
$538
Cebu
$206 61.7% $332
Eating Out
Biel
$454
Cebu
$88 80.6% $366
Clothing & Footwear
Biel
$227
Cebu
$94 58.6% $133
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Biel
$223
Cebu
$162 27.6% $62
Getting Around
Biel
$143
Cebu
$16 89.1% $128
Sport & Entertainment
Biel
$121
Cebu
$44 64% $77

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,240 in Biel 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 1494% higher in Biel, 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 $108 in Biel versus $24.00 in Cebu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $538 vs $206 – making Cebu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Biel
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
06:22 6:22 AM
12:22 12:22 PM
6 h ahead of Biel
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
56,378
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Biel Cebu 11,090 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Biel
  • 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
Biel vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Biel?
Yes – Biel is pricier by about 208%, 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 $4,240 per month in Biel 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 638% less in Cebu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,620 per month in Biel 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 Biel or in Cebu?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cebu, where all-in costs run around $918, than in Biel at $2,826. In Cebu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Biel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Biel 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, Biel 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, Biel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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