Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
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.
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: Carthage49% lower, Cebu32% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.09TND 12.26
$3.09₱194
32.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.71TND 68.0
$24.22₱1,525
-6.23%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.89TND 17.65
$3.92₱247
50.26%
Cappuccino
$1.15TND 3.44
$2.51₱158
-54.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73TND 2.20
$1.59₱100
-54.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29TND 0.88
$0.53₱33.43
-45.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.70TND 5.08
$1.78₱112
-4.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05TND 6.14
$2.17₱137
-5.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.49TND 1.46
$1.92₱121
-74.48%
White Bread(500g)
$0.26TND 0.78
$1.36₱85.4
-80.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.78TND 5.33
$1.01₱63.5
76.24%
Eggs
$1.84TND 5.50
$2.03₱128
-9.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.20TND 30.56
$9.86₱621
3.45%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.74TND 17.21
$4.39₱277
30.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.42TND 43.20
$7.60₱479
89.74%
Apples(1kg)
$1.31TND 3.92
$3.30₱208
-60.30%
Banana(1kg)
$3.65TND 10.93
$1.39₱87.8
162.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.17TND 3.49
$2.33₱147
-49.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.83TND 2.48
$1.50₱94.3
-44.67%
Potato(1kg)
$0.90TND 2.70
$2.36₱149
-61.86%
Onion(1kg)
$0.69TND 2.07
$1.90₱119
-63.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.53TND 1.60
$1.19₱74.9
-55.46%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34TND 1.03
$0.63₱39.71
-46.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.59TND 10.75
$3.00₱189
19.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.62TND 19.82
$6.03₱379
9.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23TND 3.68
$1.23₱77.7
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24TND 3.72
$1.75₱110
-29.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.43TND 1.30
$0.25₱15.86
72.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$13.96TND 41.82
$12.64₱796
10.44%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.31TND 0.92
$0.77₱48.62
-59.74%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.34TND 1.03
$0.23₱14.53
47.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.78TND 5.34
$4.46₱281
-60.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.88TND 2.63
$1.31₱82.8
-32.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.9KTND 119.4K
$21.2K₱1.3M
87.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4KTND 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)
$45.22TND 135
$120₱7,569
-62.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.23TND 27.63
$14.00₱882
-34.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.98TND 62.9
$27.54₱1,734
-23.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.18TND 96.4
$32.33₱2,035
-0.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.26TND 39.70
$6.65₱419
99.40%
Cinema Ticket
$5.17TND 15.49
$5.65₱356
-8.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$104TND 311
$275₱17.3K
-62.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,218TND 9,637
$7,918₱498.5K
-59.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.72TND 131
$49.33₱3,106
-11.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3TND 178
$25.24₱1,589
134.87%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114TND 340
$77.0₱4,846
47.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.7TND 203
$57.2₱3,601
18.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$211TND 633
$500₱31.5K
-57.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$154TND 463
$309₱19.4K
-50.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$209TND 625
$1,078₱67.9K
-80.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$272TND 815
$615₱38.7K
-55.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$972TND 2,911
$2,886₱181.7K
-66.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$622TND 1,862
$1,917₱120.7K
-67.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Carthage
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$269TND 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.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Carthage
$194 28%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↑ 6.1%$12
🏠Accommodation & Living
Carthage
$154 22.3%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↑ 100%$154
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Carthage
$128 18.5%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 26.6%$34
🍽Eating Out
Carthage
$81 11.7%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↑ 9.1%$7.3
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Carthage
$75 10.9%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↑ 115%$86
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Carthage
$43 6.1%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↑ 2.6%$1.1
🚌Getting Around
Carthage
$18 2.6%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 12.2%$2.2
🛒Groceries & Markets
Carthage
$460 30.5%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↑ 5%$23
🏠Accommodation & Living
Carthage
$272 18.1%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↑ 126%$343
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Carthage
$284 18.9%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 26.6%$76
🍽Eating Out
Carthage
$272 18.1%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↑ 7.3%$20
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Carthage
$85 5.6%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↑ 108%$91
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Carthage
$98 6.5%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 4.5%$4.4
🚌Getting Around
Carthage
$36 2.4%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 12.9%$4.7
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.
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.