Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Ambatolampy

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambatolampy: $476 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Ambatolampy
Learn more

Ambatolampy Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Ambatolampy

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$476

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Ambatolampy

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $476 in Ambatolampy.

Cebu $934
Ambatolampy $476

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $704 in Ambatolampy.

Cebu $1,415
Ambatolampy $704

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $932 in Ambatolampy.

Cebu $1,896
Ambatolampy $932

Living in Cebu is roughly 96% more expensive than in Ambatolampy, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Ambatolampy 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$2.68 MGA 12.0K

13.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

$10.12 MGA 45.3K

132.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$5.68 MGA 25.4K

-27.99%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$1.68 MGA 7,519

50.00%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$0.83 MGA 3,713

85.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$0.46 MGA 2,061

6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$1.02 MGA 4,551

75.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$2.24 MGA 10.0K

0.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$0.87 MGA 3,870

124.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$1.05 MGA 4,687

36.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$0.78 MGA 3,482

30.77%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$2.13 MGA 9,512

-3.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$8.75 MGA 39.1K

12.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$4.47 MGA 20.0K

3.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$4.81 MGA 21.5K

60.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$1.07 MGA 4,795

209.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$0.54 MGA 2,435

168.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.01 MGA 4,535

133.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$0.82 MGA 3,667

87.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.58 MGA 2,578

306.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$0.95 MGA 4,265

109.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$0.33 MGA 1,461

248.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$0.72 MGA 3,240

-6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$1.64 MGA 7,331

82.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$5.20 MGA 23.2K

22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$1.05 MGA 4,694

24.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.88 MGA 8,415

-7.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

$3.50 MGA 15.7K

-78.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

$2.02 MGA 9,046

-89.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

$4.67 MGA 20.9K

-7.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$0.86 MGA 3,858

54.65%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$12.3K MGA 55.0M

77.03%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$26.1K MGA 116.5M

-25.55%

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

$121 ₱7,563

$76.2 MGA 340.4K

58.35%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$17.10 MGA 76.4K

-15.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$57.5 MGA 257.2K

-50.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$5.74 MGA 25.7K

-4.88%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$25.50 MGA 114.0K

972.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

$14.9K MGA 66.7M

-45.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

$29.10 MGA 130.1K

70.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

$27.59 MGA 123.3K

-9.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

$79.6 MGA 355.8K

-3.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

$70.1 MGA 313.5K

-15.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

15.75

-54.29%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ambatolampy: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Ambatolampy

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Ambatolampy

$144 29.6% 31.7% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Ambatolampy

$151 31% 7.7% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Ambatolampy

$93 19.1% 1.8% $1.8

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Ambatolampy

$73 15.1% 17% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Ambatolampy

$11 * 2.4% 73.7% $32

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Ambatolampy

$14 * 2.8% 11.8% $1.8

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $23.00 in Cebu vs $10.00 in Ambatolampy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $144 per month, with Ambatolampy cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇲🇬 Ambatolampy

🕒 Local time

15:04 3:04 PM

10:04 10:04 AM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

32,291

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.24 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.99 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MGA, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4,470 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.24 USD). 1 EUR = 5,013 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.99 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Ambatolampy 9,000 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Ambatolampy

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 Ambatolampy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambatolampy wins on cost – living expenses run 96% lower than in Cebu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambatolampy the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,401 in Cebu and $714 in Ambatolampy 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.

Childcare runs $273 in Cebu versus $25.50 in Ambatolampy. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ambatolampy – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $23.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Ambatolampy gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambatolampy delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $476 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambatolampy hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Ambatolampy 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 Ambatolampy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.