Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Al-Qusayr

For one person, living is cheaper in Al-Qusayr: $639 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Al-Qusayr
🇸🇾 Syria
$639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Al-Qusayr

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $639 in Al-Qusayr.

  • Cebu $918
  • Al-Qusayr $639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,012 in Al-Qusayr.

  • Cebu $1,409
  • Al-Qusayr $1,012

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,385 in Al-Qusayr.

  • Cebu $1,900
  • Al-Qusayr $1,385

Living in Cebu is roughly 44% more expensive than in Al-Qusayr, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Al-Qusayr 53% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Al-Qusayr
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09 ₱194
$9.84 SYP 1,196
-68.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22 ₱1,525
$42.27 SYP 5,137
-42.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.92 ₱247
$7.12 SYP 866
-44.94%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₱158
$3.64 SYP 442
-31.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₱100
$2.22 SYP 269
-28.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.43
$0.83 SYP 101
-36.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$1.96 SYP 238
-9.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱137
$3.96 SYP 481
-45.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Al-Qusayr
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 ₱121
$1.10 SYP 134
74.55%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱85.4
$0.41 SYP 49.91
231.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.5
$1.50 SYP 183
-32.67%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$1.61 SYP 196
26.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 ₱621
$3.94 SYP 478
150.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₱277
$5.66 SYP 688
-22.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 ₱479
$13.54 SYP 1,646
-43.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ₱208
$1.03 SYP 125
220.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.8
$1.42 SYP 173
-2.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$1.14 SYP 139
104.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ₱94.3
$1.05 SYP 128
42.86%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$0.80 SYP 97.1
195.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ₱119
$0.74 SYP 90.1
156.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₱74.9
$0.44 SYP 53.0
170.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱39.71
$0.66 SYP 79.6
-4.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱189
$2.71 SYP 330
10.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.03 ₱379
$6.06 SYP 737
-0.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.7
$1.09 SYP 132
12.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₱110
$2.82 SYP 343
-37.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Al-Qusayr
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.86
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.64 ₱796
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.77 ₱48.62
$0.98 SYP 119
-21.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.53
$1.50 SYP 182
-84.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 ₱281
$7.60 SYP 924
-41.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱82.8
$3.58 SYP 435
-63.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$15.1K SYP 1.8M
40.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$19.0K SYP 2.3M
0.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Al-Qusayr
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,569
$138 SYP 16.7K
-12.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00 ₱882
$9.90 SYP 1,203
41.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 ₱1,734
$45.56 SYP 5,536
-39.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Al-Qusayr
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.33 ₱2,035
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 ₱419
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.65 ₱356
$5.61 SYP 682
0.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Al-Qusayr
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$275 ₱17.3K
$65.6 SYP 7,973
319.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,918 ₱498.5K
$1,800 SYP 218.7K
339.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Al-Qusayr
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ₱3,106
$28.15 SYP 3,420
75.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ₱1,589
$39.64 SYP 4,817
-36.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ₱4,846
$60.5 SYP 7,356
27.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2 ₱3,601
$58.8 SYP 7,139
-2.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Al-Qusayr
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₱31.5K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 ₱67.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$615 ₱38.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,886 ₱181.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,917 ₱120.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Al-Qusayr
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$346 ₱21.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
14.25
-49.47%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Al-Qusayr: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Al-Qusayr
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206
Al-Qusayr
$169 18.1% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162
Al-Qusayr
$193 19.5% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Al-Qusayr
$84 10.4% $9.8
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Al-Qusayr
$174 96.7% $85
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Al-Qusayr
$11 * 74.3% $32
Getting Around
Cebu
$16
Al-Qusayr
$8.5 * 45.7% $7.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $42.00 in Al-Qusayr. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $169, with Al-Qusayr cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇸🇾 Al-Qusayr
🕒 Local time
04:01 4:01 AM
23:01 11:01 PM
5 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
29,818
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SYP, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Syrian Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 122 SYP (1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 137 SYP (1,000 SYP = 7.32 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Al-Qusayr 9,120 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Al-Qusayr

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-Qusayr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al-Qusayr cheaper than Cebu?
Al-Qusayr is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,377 in Cebu and $959 in Al-Qusayr to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Cebu and in Al-Qusayr?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Al-Qusayr?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $639 in Al-Qusayr – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cebu or Al-Qusayr?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Al-Qusayr gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Cebu or Al-Qusayr more family-friendly?
For families, Al-Qusayr is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Al-Qusayr?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Al-Qusayr 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 Al-Qusayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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