Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Carthage and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Carthage: $693 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Carthage
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$693
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $693 in Carthage versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Carthage $693
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,100 in Carthage versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Carthage $1,100
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,508 in Carthage versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Carthage $1,508
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Carthage costs roughly 25% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Carthage 49% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.09 TND 12.26
$3.09 ₱194
32.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.71 TND 68.0
$24.22 ₱1,525
-6.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.89 TND 17.65
$3.92 ₱247
50.26%
Cappuccino
$1.15 TND 3.44
$2.51 ₱158
-54.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 TND 2.20
$1.59 ₱100
-54.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 TND 0.88
$0.53 ₱33.43
-45.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.70 TND 5.08
$1.78 ₱112
-4.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 TND 6.14
$2.17 ₱137
-5.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.49 TND 1.46
$1.92 ₱121
-74.48%
White Bread (500g)
$0.26 TND 0.78
$1.36 ₱85.4
-80.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.78 TND 5.33
$1.01 ₱63.5
76.24%
Eggs
$1.84 TND 5.50
$2.03 ₱128
-9.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.20 TND 30.56
$9.86 ₱621
3.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.74 TND 17.21
$4.39 ₱277
30.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.42 TND 43.20
$7.60 ₱479
89.74%
Apples (1kg)
$1.31 TND 3.92
$3.30 ₱208
-60.30%
Banana (1kg)
$3.65 TND 10.93
$1.39 ₱87.8
162.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.17 TND 3.49
$2.33 ₱147
-49.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.83 TND 2.48
$1.50 ₱94.3
-44.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.90 TND 2.70
$2.36 ₱149
-61.86%
Onion (1kg)
$0.69 TND 2.07
$1.90 ₱119
-63.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.53 TND 1.60
$1.19 ₱74.9
-55.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34 TND 1.03
$0.63 ₱39.71
-46.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.59 TND 10.75
$3.00 ₱189
19.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.62 TND 19.82
$6.03 ₱379
9.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 TND 3.68
$1.23 ₱77.7
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 TND 3.72
$1.75 ₱110
-29.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.43 TND 1.30
$0.25 ₱15.86
72.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.96 TND 41.82
$12.64 ₱796
10.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.31 TND 0.92
$0.77 ₱48.62
-59.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.34 TND 1.03
$0.23 ₱14.53
47.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.78 TND 5.34
$4.46 ₱281
-60.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 TND 2.63
$1.31 ₱82.8
-32.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.9K TND 119.4K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
87.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K TND 106.1K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
85.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$45.22 TND 135
$120 ₱7,569
-62.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.23 TND 27.63
$14.00 ₱882
-34.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.98 TND 62.9
$27.54 ₱1,734
-23.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.18 TND 96.4
$32.33 ₱2,035
-0.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.26 TND 39.70
$6.65 ₱419
99.40%
Cinema Ticket
$5.17 TND 15.49
$5.65 ₱356
-8.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$104 TND 311
$275 ₱17.3K
-62.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,218 TND 9,637
$7,918 ₱498.5K
-59.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.72 TND 131
$49.33 ₱3,106
-11.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 TND 178
$25.24 ₱1,589
134.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 TND 340
$77.0 ₱4,846
47.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.7 TND 203
$57.2 ₱3,601
18.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$211 TND 633
$500 ₱31.5K
-57.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$154 TND 463
$309 ₱19.4K
-50.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$209 TND 625
$1,078 ₱67.9K
-80.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$272 TND 815
$615 ₱38.7K
-55.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$972 TND 2,911
$2,886 ₱181.7K
-66.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$622 TND 1,862
$1,917 ₱120.7K
-67.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$269 TND 807
$346 ₱21.8K
-22.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.28
7.2
42.78%

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

Last update for Carthage: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Carthage
$194
Cebu
$206 6.1% $12
Accommodation & Living
Carthage
$154
Cebu
$309 100% $154
Clothing & Footwear
Carthage
$128
Cebu
$94 26.6% $34
Eating Out
Carthage
$81
Cebu
$88 9.1% $7.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Carthage
$75
Cebu
$162 115% $86
Sport & Entertainment
Carthage
$43
Cebu
$44 2.6% $1.1
Getting Around
Carthage
$18
Cebu
$16 12.2% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $211 in Carthage and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 28% 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: $23.00 in Carthage vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $206 per month, with Carthage cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇳 Carthage
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
09:41 9:41 AM
16:41 4:41 PM
7 h ahead of Carthage
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,276
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 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
  • Carthage Cebu 11,340 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Carthage
  • 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
Carthage vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Carthage and in Cebu?
Carthage and Cebu differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($693 vs $918 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Cebu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Carthage and in Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $211 in Carthage versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Carthage – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $24.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How far does $1,200 go in Carthage compared to Cebu?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Carthage gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Carthage and Cebu?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Carthage or Cebu safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Carthage 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.
Where should expats move: Carthage or Cebu?
Expats usually find Carthage gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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