For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,246 in Albury, rent and utilities included – about $15,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Albury actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $2,246 in Albury.
Cebu $918
Albury $2,246
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $3,352 in Albury.
Cebu $1,409
Albury $3,352
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $4,458 in Albury.
Cebu $1,900
Albury $4,458
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 59% less than in Albury, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Albury is 66% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Albury
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱194
$20.83A$29.84
-85.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,519
$88.2A$126
-72.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱246
$10.52A$15.07
-62.74%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱157
$4.13A$5.92
-39.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱99.8
$3.05A$4.37
-47.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.31
$2.49A$3.57
-78.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$7.05A$10.10
-74.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱136
$7.02A$10.06
-69.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Albury
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱120
$1.53A$2.19
25.49%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.1
$3.19A$4.57
-57.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.3
$2.52A$3.61
-59.92%
Eggs
$2.03₱127
$5.16A$7.39
-60.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱619
$8.59A$12.31
14.78%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱276
$9.73A$13.94
-54.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱477
$12.75A$18.26
-40.39%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱207
$3.28A$4.70
0.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.4
$3.18A$4.55
-56.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱146
$3.41A$4.88
-31.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱93.9
$5.28A$7.57
-71.59%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$3.05A$4.37
-22.62%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$2.12A$3.03
-10.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.6
$2.27A$3.25
-47.58%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.56
$1.38A$1.98
-54.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱188
$27.71A$39.70
-89.17%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱378
$13.68A$19.60
-55.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.4
$4.27A$6.12
-71.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$5.39A$7.71
-67.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Albury
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.80
$3.86A$5.52
-93.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱792
$71.5A$102
-82.33%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.43
$3.44A$4.92
-77.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.47
$1.60A$2.30
-85.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱279
$41.17A$59.0
-89.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.5
$1.30A$1.86
0.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$26.6KA$38.1K
-20.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$27.9KA$39.9K
-31.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Albury
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,540
$184A$263
-34.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱878
$26.90A$38.53
-47.96%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,727
$55.0A$78.8
-49.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Albury
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,028
$138A$197
-76.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱417
$22.37A$32.05
-70.27%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱354
$12.91A$18.49
-56.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Albury
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$2,164A$3,100
-87.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱496.6K
$20.5KA$29.4K
-61.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Albury
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,094
$62.7A$89.8
-21.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,583
$42.39A$60.7
-40.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,827
$97.0A$139
-20.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,587
$107A$154
-46.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Albury
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.3K
$1,102A$1,579
-54.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$895A$1,282
-65.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.6K
$1,898A$2,719
-43.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.6K
$1,388A$1,989
-55.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Albury
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.7K
$4,706A$6,742
-92.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
5.95
21.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Albury: 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%
Albury
$895 39.9% ↑ 190%$586
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Albury
$365 16.2% ↑ 77.1%$159
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Albury
$266 11.8% ↑ 64.1%$104
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Albury
$139 6.2% ↑ 48.2%$45
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Albury
$319 14.2% ↑ 262%$231
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Albury
$164 7.3% ↑ 275%$120
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Albury
$98 4.4% ↑ 532%$83
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Albury
$1.4K 31.1% ↑ 126%$773
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Albury
$828 18.6% ↑ 71.6%$346
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Albury
$292 6.6% ↑ 66.4%$117
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Albury
$309 6.9% ↑ 48.2%$101
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Albury
$1.1K 24.4% ↑ 272%$793
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Albury
$349 7.8% ↑ 272%$256
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Albury
$205 4.6% ↑ 546%$173
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $1,102 in Albury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Albury pays 1260% 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 $88.0 in Albury for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $365 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 Albury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cebu or Albury?
Cebu wins on cost – living expenses run 145% lower than in Albury. 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 Albury?
On paper, salaries run 1260% lower in Albury. 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 Albury?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $1,102 in Albury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Cebu or in Albury?
Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Albury. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Cebu and in Albury?
Dining out is cheaper in Cebu – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $88.0 in Albury. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Cebu or in Albury?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,246 in Albury, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Albury. 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 Albury?
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 Albury?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Albury 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 145% less than in Albury. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.