For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,520 in Aegina, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
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 Aegina actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,520 in Aegina.
Cebu $918
Aegina $1,520
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $2,260 in Aegina.
Cebu $1,409
Aegina $2,260
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $3,000 in Aegina.
Cebu $1,900
Aegina $3,000
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 40% less than in Aegina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Aegina is 13% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Aegina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱194
$14.44€12.84
-78.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,525
$51.7€45.96
-53.13%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$11.23€9.99
-65.09%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$3.58€3.18
-29.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$2.23€1.98
-28.70%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.43
$0.59€0.52
-10.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$4.19€3.73
-57.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$4.53€4.03
-52.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Aegina
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$1.47€1.31
30.61%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.4
$1.42€1.26
-4.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.5
$2.60€2.31
-61.15%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$4.56€4.05
-55.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$13.43€11.94
-26.58%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$10.90€9.70
-59.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$15.65€13.92
-51.44%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$2.32€2.07
42.24%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.8
$2.09€1.86
-33.49%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$1.23€1.10
89.43%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.3
$1.85€1.65
-18.92%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$1.12€0.99
110.71%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$0.98€0.87
93.88%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$1.09€0.97
9.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.71
$0.83€0.74
-24.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$5.04€4.49
-40.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱379
$6.58€5.86
-8.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.7
$1.97€1.76
-37.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$2.33€2.07
-24.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Aegina
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.86
$1.33€1.18
-81.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
$45.11€40.12
-71.98%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.62
$3.91€3.48
-80.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.53
$1.00€0.89
-77.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$17.03€15.15
-73.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$1.82€1.62
-28.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$25.9K€23.1K
-18.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$24.2K€21.5K
-20.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Aegina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,569
$264€235
-54.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱882
$23.26€20.69
-39.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,734
$30.28€26.94
-9.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Aegina
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,035
$49.82€44.31
-35.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
$28.82€25.63
-76.93%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$8.87€7.89
-36.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Aegina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$439€391
-37.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.5K
$8,508€7,568
-6.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Aegina
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,106
$90.8€80.8
-45.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,589
$35.86€31.90
-29.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,846
$86.4€76.8
-10.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,601
$136€121
-57.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Aegina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$481€428
3.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$400€356
-22.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$661€588
63.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.7K
$626€557
-1.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.7K
$2,583€2,298
11.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.7K
$2,088€1,857
-8.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Aegina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$1,116€992
-68.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
4.46
61.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Aegina: 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.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309 33.6%
Aegina
$400 26.3% ↑ 29.5%$91
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Aegina
$285 18.8% ↑ 38.4%$79
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Aegina
$317 20.9% ↑ 96.1%$155
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Aegina
$157 10.3% ↑ 67.2%$63
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Aegina
$233 15.4% ↑ 165%$145
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Aegina
$68 4.5% ↑ 54.9%$24
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Aegina
$59 3.9% ↑ 281%$44
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Aegina
$626 20.9% ↑ 1.7%$11
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Aegina
$671 22.4% ↑ 38.9%$188
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Aegina
$340 11.4% ↑ 93.7%$165
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Aegina
$349 11.6% ↑ 67.2%$140
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Aegina
$729 24.3% ↑ 150%$437
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Aegina
$164 5.5% ↑ 74.6%$70
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Aegina
$121 4% ↑ 283%$90
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $481 in Aegina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Aegina pays 223% 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: $24.00 in Cebu vs $52.0 in Aegina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $285 per month, with Cebu 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
Cebu vs Aegina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cebu or Aegina?
Cebu wins on cost – living expenses run 66% lower than in Aegina. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cebu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Cebu or in Aegina?
On paper, salaries run 223% lower in Aegina. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Cebu compared to Aegina?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $481 in Aegina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Cebu and in Aegina?
Dining out is cheaper in Cebu – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $52.0 in Aegina. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Cebu compared to Aegina?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $1,520 in Aegina – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Cebu or in Aegina?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,520 in Aegina, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Aegina. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cebu or Aegina?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cebu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $918 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cebu hard to pass up.
How safe is Cebu compared to Aegina?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Aegina are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Aegina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.