Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Alba Iulia

For one person, living costs are similar in Cebu and in Alba Iulia: $918 and $902 a month, rent and utilities included.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Alba Iulia
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Alba Iulia Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Alba Iulia

🇷🇴 Romania

$902

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Alba Iulia

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $902 in Alba Iulia.

Cebu $918
Alba Iulia $902

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,372 in Alba Iulia.

Cebu $1,409
Alba Iulia $1,372

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,841 in Alba Iulia.

Cebu $1,900
Alba Iulia $1,841

Living in Cebu is roughly 2% more expensive than in Alba Iulia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Alba Iulia 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$8.42 RON 39.84

-63.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$30.94 RON 146

-21.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$5.67 RON 26.85

-30.86%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.16 RON 10.24

16.20%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$1.76 RON 8.32

-9.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$1.45 RON 6.85

-63.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.01 RON 9.50

-11.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$2.13 RON 10.10

1.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.23 RON 5.80

56.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$1.09 RON 5.15

24.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$1.49 RON 7.07

-32.21%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$2.67 RON 12.65

-23.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$7.53 RON 35.62

30.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$5.82 RON 27.54

-24.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$10.61 RON 50.2

-28.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$0.96 RON 4.52

243.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$1.35 RON 6.38

2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$1.22 RON 5.77

90.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$2.34 RON 11.06

-35.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.71 RON 3.38

232.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.58 RON 2.75

227.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.82 RON 3.89

45.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.64 RON 3.04

-1.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$5.31 RON 25.13

-43.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$4.21 RON 19.90

43.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.12 RON 5.29

9.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.22 RON 5.75

43.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$0.71 RON 3.38

-64.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$16.66 RON 78.8

-24.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$0.63 RON 2.98

22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.68 RON 3.21

-66.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$4.55 RON 21.51

-1.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.53 RON 7.22

-14.38%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$28.1K RON 133.1K

-24.47%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$24.3K RON 115.1K

-21.29%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$123 RON 583

-2.41%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$7.40 RON 35.00

89.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$9.34 RON 44.20

194.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$28.80 RON 136

12.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$31.03 RON 147

-78.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$4.98 RON 23.57

13.45%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$442 RON 2,090

-37.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$6,914 RON 32.7K

14.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$38.88 RON 184

26.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$23.97 RON 113

5.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$73.6 RON 348

4.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$64.0 RON 303

-10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$293 RON 1,386

70.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$289 RON 1,367

6.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$621 RON 2,938

73.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$474 RON 2,243

29.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$1,602 RON 7,578

80.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$1,414 RON 6,688

35.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$904 RON 4,278

-61.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.97

3.30%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Alba Iulia

$289 32% 6.4% $20

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Alba Iulia

$184 20.3% 10.9% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Alba Iulia

$140 15.5% 13.5% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Alba Iulia

$90 10% 4% $3.8

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Alba Iulia

$137 15.2% 55.8% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Alba Iulia

$39 4.3% 11.1% $4.9

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Alba Iulia

$24 2.6% 51.2% $8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $293 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alba Iulia pays 161% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $31.00 in Alba Iulia. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $184, with Alba Iulia cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇷🇴 Alba Iulia

🕒 Local time

00:32 12:32 AM

19:32 7:32 PM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

63,536

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

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).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Alba Iulia 9,970 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Alba Iulia

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 Alba Iulia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alba Iulia is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 161% lower in Alba Iulia. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $293 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $902 in Alba Iulia – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alba Iulia runs roughly 32% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Alba Iulia gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Alba Iulia 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.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Alba Iulia 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 Alba Iulia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.