Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Al Hidd
For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,787 in Al Hidd, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities 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 Al Hidd actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,787 in Al Hidd.
Cebu $918
Al Hidd $1,787
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $2,122 in Al Hidd.
Cebu $1,409
Al Hidd $2,122
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $2,457 in Al Hidd.
Cebu $1,900
Al Hidd $2,457
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 49% less than in Al Hidd, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Al Hidd is 32% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Al Hidd
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱194
$5.26BHD 1.99
-41.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,525
$39.86BHD 15.04
-39.24%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$7.59BHD 2.86
-48.35%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$3.68BHD 1.39
-31.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$0.81BHD 0.31
96.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.43
$0.15BHD 0.06
253.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$6.43BHD 2.43
-72.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$10.05BHD 3.79
-78.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Al Hidd
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$1.43BHD 0.54
34.27%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.4
$1.09BHD 0.41
24.77%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.5
$2.29BHD 0.86
-55.90%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$2.28BHD 0.86
-10.96%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$8.59BHD 3.24
14.78%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$5.43BHD 2.05
-19.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$5.17BHD 1.95
47.00%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$2.31BHD 0.87
42.86%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.8
$2.35BHD 0.89
-40.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$1.87BHD 0.71
24.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.3
$1.44BHD 0.54
4.17%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$1.01BHD 0.38
133.66%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$1.38BHD 0.52
37.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$1.49BHD 0.56
-20.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.71
$0.78BHD 0.29
-19.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$5.32BHD 2.01
-43.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱379
$18.21BHD 6.87
-66.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.7
$3.66BHD 1.38
-66.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$2.70BHD 1.02
-35.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Al Hidd
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.86
$1.57BHD 0.59
-84.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
$52.2BHD 19.71
-75.79%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.62
$5.39BHD 2.04
-85.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.53
$3.35BHD 1.27
-93.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$15.64BHD 5.90
-71.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$0.58BHD 0.22
125.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$19.7KBHD 7,433
7.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$20.2KBHD 7,607
-5.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Al Hidd
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,569
$154BHD 58.3
-22.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱882
$24.58BHD 9.28
-43.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,734
$34.60BHD 13.06
-20.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Al Hidd
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,035
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
$53.7BHD 20.28
-87.63%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$10.51BHD 3.97
-46.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Al Hidd
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$495BHD 187
-44.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.5K
$11.2KBHD 4,209
-29.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Al Hidd
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,106
$51.2BHD 19.31
-3.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,589
$58.5BHD 22.08
-56.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,846
$88.1BHD 33.25
-12.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,601
$87.9BHD 33.16
-34.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Al Hidd
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$663BHD 250
-24.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$945BHD 357
-67.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$799BHD 302
34.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.7K
$651BHD 246
-5.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Al Hidd
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$1,932BHD 729
-82.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
6.21
15.94%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Al Hidd: October 11, 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%
Al Hidd
$945 52.9% ↑ 206%$636
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Al Hidd
$233 13.1% ↑ 13.4%$28
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Al Hidd
$214 12% ↑ 32%$52
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Al Hidd
$129 7.2% ↑ 36.8%$35
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Al Hidd
$165 9.2% ↑ 87%$77
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Al Hidd
$21 * 1.2% ↓ 51.8%$23
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Al Hidd
$81 4.5% ↑ 418%$65
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Al Hidd
$651 26.5% ↑ 5.8%$35
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Al Hidd
$505 20.6% ↑ 4.6%$22
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Al Hidd
$238 9.7% ↑ 35.5%$62
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Al Hidd
$286 11.6% ↑ 36.8%$77
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Al Hidd
$518 21.1% ↑ 77.2%$226
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Al Hidd
$96 * 3.9% ↑ 2%$1.9
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Al Hidd
$165 6.7% ↑ 420%$133
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $663 in Al Hidd. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Al Hidd pays 458% 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 $40.00 in Al Hidd for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $233 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 Al Hidd: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al Hidd cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Al Hidd?
On paper, salaries run 458% lower in Al Hidd. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Al Hidd?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $663 in Al Hidd. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 313% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $275 in Cebu versus $495 in Al Hidd. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Al Hidd?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,787 in Al Hidd, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Al Hidd more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Al Hidd, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Al Hidd?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Al Hidd 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.