Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Akranes

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $3,755 in Akranes, rent and utilities included – about $34,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Akranes
🇮🇸 Iceland
$3,755
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Akranes

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 Akranes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $3,755 in Akranes.

  • Cebu $918
  • Akranes $3,755

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $5,928 in Akranes.

  • Cebu $1,409
  • Akranes $5,928

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $8,101 in Akranes.

  • Cebu $1,900
  • Akranes $8,101

Living in Cebu costs roughly 76% less than in Akranes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Akranes is 178% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Akranes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09 ₱194
$30.83 ISK 3,740
-89.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22 ₱1,525
$124 ISK 15.0K
-80.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.92 ₱247
$27.33 ISK 3,315
-85.66%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₱158
$6.00 ISK 728
-58.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₱100
$3.15 ISK 383
-49.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.43
$2.48 ISK 301
-78.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$10.82 ISK 1,313
-83.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱137
$8.31 ISK 1,008
-73.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Akranes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 ₱121
$2.11 ISK 256
-9.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱85.4
$2.00 ISK 243
-32.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.5
$3.71 ISK 450
-72.78%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$6.05 ISK 734
-66.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 ₱621
$20.76 ISK 2,518
-52.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₱277
$23.98 ISK 2,909
-81.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 ₱479
$41.92 ISK 5,085
-81.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ₱208
$3.26 ISK 396
1.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.8
$2.82 ISK 342
-50.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$3.12 ISK 379
-25.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ₱94.3
$4.78 ISK 580
-68.62%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$3.81 ISK 463
-38.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ₱119
$1.65 ISK 200
15.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₱74.9
$3.69 ISK 448
-67.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱39.71
$1.84 ISK 224
-65.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱189
$13.83 ISK 1,678
-78.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.03 ₱379
$24.02 ISK 2,913
-74.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.7
$2.91 ISK 353
-57.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₱110
$2.09 ISK 253
-16.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Akranes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.86
$3.71 ISK 450
-93.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.64 ₱796
$73.6 ISK 8,931
-82.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.77 ₱48.62
$6.69 ISK 812
-88.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.53
$1.20 ISK 145
-80.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 ₱281
$80.0 ISK 9,704
-94.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱82.8
$2.02 ISK 245
-35.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$49.8K ISK 6.0M
-57.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$52.8K ISK 6.4M
-63.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Akranes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,569
$94.6 ISK 11.5K
27.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00 ₱882
$32.27 ISK 3,914
-56.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 ₱1,734
$87.0 ISK 10.5K
-68.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Akranes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.33 ₱2,035
$104 ISK 12.7K
-69.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 ₱419
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.65 ₱356
$19.49 ISK 2,364
-71.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Akranes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$275 ₱17.3K
$1,197 ISK 145.2K
-77.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,918 ₱498.5K
$26.2K ISK 3.2M
-69.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Akranes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ₱3,106
$147 ISK 17.8K
-66.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ₱1,589
$67.2 ISK 8,151
-62.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ₱4,846
$182 ISK 22.1K
-57.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2 ₱3,601
$253 ISK 30.7K
-77.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Akranes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₱31.5K
$3,026 ISK 367.0K
-83.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$1,934 ISK 234.6K
-84.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 ₱67.9K
$4,979 ISK 603.9K
-78.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$615 ₱38.7K
$3,759 ISK 455.9K
-83.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,886 ₱181.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,917 ₱120.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Akranes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$346 ₱21.8K
$5,792 ISK 702.5K
-94.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
8.81
-18.27%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Akranes: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Akranes
$1.9K 526% $1.6K
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206
Akranes
$576 180% $370
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162
Akranes
$214 32.2% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Akranes
$292 211% $198
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Akranes
$494 460% $406
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Akranes
$143 229% $100
Getting Around
Cebu
$16
Akranes
$101 550% $86

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $3,026 in Akranes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akranes pays 1574% 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 $124 in Akranes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $576 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇮🇸 Akranes
🕒 Local time
06:41 6:41 AM
22:41 10:41 PM
8 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
7,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

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).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Akranes 11,240 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Akranes

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 Akranes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cebu or Akranes?
Cebu wins on cost – living expenses run 309% lower than in Akranes. 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 Akranes?
On paper, salaries run 1574% lower in Akranes. 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 Akranes?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $3,026 in Akranes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Cebu compared to Akranes?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $3,755 in Akranes – a 309% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Cebu compared to Akranes?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 483% less than in Akranes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Cebu or in Akranes?
At $918 in Cebu versus $3,755 in Akranes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Akranes. 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 Akranes?
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 Akranes?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Akranes 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 309% less than in Akranes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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