Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Al Ghubra

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Ghubra: $89.8 a month against $915 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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

$915

/mo nomad

Al Ghubra

🇴🇲 Oman

$89.8

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Al Ghubra

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Cebu versus $89.8 in Al Ghubra.

Cebu $915
Al Ghubra $89.8

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Cebu versus $160 in Al Ghubra.

Cebu $1,418
Al Ghubra $160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,921 in Cebu versus $229 in Al Ghubra.

Cebu $1,921
Al Ghubra $229

Living in Cebu is roughly 918% more expensive than in Al Ghubra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Al Ghubra 93% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ₱192

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ₱1,511

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 ₱251

Cappuccino

$2.50 ₱157

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

$1.54 ₱97.1

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.37

$0.25 OMR 0.10

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱136

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₱126

$2.65 OMR 1.02

-24.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ₱86.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.9

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ₱642

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 ₱280

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 ₱483

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₱91.8

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₱146

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱94.0

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₱73.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱188

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 ₱393

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 ₱777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.96

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ₱286

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₱82.9

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

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

$119 ₱7,464

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

$14.22 ₱896

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.47 ₱1,730

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.31 ₱2,034

$43.75 OMR 16.84

-26.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.50 ₱409

$36.90 OMR 14.21

-82.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱340

$9.29 OMR 3.58

-41.87%

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

$276 ₱17.4K

$186 OMR 71.5

48.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,866 ₱495.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 ₱3,108

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.58 ₱1,548

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,825

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 ₱3,706

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ₱19.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₱67.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,870 ₱180.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱118.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ₱21.1K

$3,133 OMR 1,206

-89.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Al Ghubra: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$305 33.3%

Al Ghubra

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.9%

Al Ghubra

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$160 17.5%

Al Ghubra

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.3%

Al Ghubra

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Al Ghubra

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$43 4.7%

Al Ghubra

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Al Ghubra

–

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays 833% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇴🇲 Al Ghubra

🕒 Local time

19:10 7:10 PM

15:10 3:10 PM

4 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

797,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Al Ghubra 7,070 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Al Ghubra

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 Al Ghubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu and Al Ghubra differ by about 918% in total monthly costs ($915 vs $89.8 including rent). Al Ghubra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 833% lower in Al Ghubra. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $276 in Cebu versus $186 in Al Ghubra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Cebu versus $89.8 in Al Ghubra – a 918% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Al Ghubra gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Al Ghubra are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al Ghubra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 918% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.