Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Aba

For one person, living is cheaper in Aba: $408 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Aba

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$408

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Aba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cebu and in Aba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $918 per month in Cebu vs $408 in Aba, rent included.

Cebu $918
Aba $408

A couple spends around $1,409 per month in Cebu vs $664 in Aba, rent included.

Cebu $1,409
Aba $664

A family of three spends $1,900 per month in Cebu vs $921 in Aba, rent included.

Cebu $1,900
Aba $921

Cebu costs about 125% more than Aba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Cebu and Aba are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 32% lower, Aba 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱195

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$7.43 ₦9,880

-47.24%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$0.87 ₦1,159

188.51%

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

$1.59 ₱100

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.45

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.06 ₦2,746

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$2.35 ₦3,120

-7.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$3.69 ₦4,907

-47.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.5

$2.22 ₦2,951

-38.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$11.43 ₦15.2K

-13.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$1.28 ₦1,703

493.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$5.35 ₦7,121

-38.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$0.56 ₦740

148.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$3.62 ₦4,811

-34.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$1.16 ₦1,539

2.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.73

$0.14 ₦184

350.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$1.47 ₦1,959

104.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱380

$7.42 ₦9,870

-18.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.27 ₦1,683

-3.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.46 ₦1,940

19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$9.24 ₦12.3K

36.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.64

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$6,010 ₦8.0M

253.47%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$7,584 ₦10.1M

152.47%

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

$120 ₱7,573

$116 ₦153.7K

4.03%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$2.22 ₦2,957

530.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,735

$45.39 ₦60.4K

-39.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,036

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$2.06 ₦2,734

174.27%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.8K

$1,067 ₦1.4M

641.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,107

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,590

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,848

$15.19 ₦20.2K

406.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,603

$18.89 ₦25.1K

202.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$133 ₦177.5K

274.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$451 ₦599.4K

139.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.8K

$228 ₦303.9K

169.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.8K

$1,102 ₦1.5M

161.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$469 ₦624.0K

308.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$96.4 ₦128.2K

258.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

-40.00%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Aba: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Aba

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Aba

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Aba

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Aba

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Aba

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Aba

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Aba

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $500 in Cebu versus $133 in Aba. 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 259% higher in Cebu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇳🇬 Aba

🕒 Local time

02:38 2:38 AM

19:38 7:38 PM

7 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,020,900

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NGN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,496 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Aba 12,780 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Aba

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

Cebu vs Aba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cebu is pricier by about 125%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,377 per month in Cebu and $612 in Aba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Cebu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Aba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $918 in Cebu and $408 in Aba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Aba – 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 Aba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cebu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.