Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Amparai

For one person, living is cheaper in Amparai: $501 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Amparai
Learn more

Amparai Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Amparai

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$501

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Amparai

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $501 in Amparai.

Cebu $918
Amparai $501

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $815 in Amparai.

Cebu $1,409
Amparai $815

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,128 in Amparai.

Cebu $1,900
Amparai $1,128

Living in Cebu is roughly 83% more expensive than in Amparai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Amparai 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$4.34 LKR 1,437

-28.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$24.60 LKR 8,148

-1.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$7.64 LKR 2,532

-48.69%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.50 LKR 829

0.40%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.73 LKR 242

117.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.27 LKR 89.6

96.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.23 LKR 737

-20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$3.12 LKR 1,033

-30.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.64 LKR 542

17.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.54 LKR 178

151.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$0.74 LKR 245

36.49%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.57 LKR 521

29.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$13.64 LKR 4,517

-27.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$4.78 LKR 1,582

-8.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$7.58 LKR 2,512

0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$6.65 LKR 2,201

-50.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$0.79 LKR 262

75.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$4.61 LKR 1,527

-49.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$1.22 LKR 405

22.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$1.02 LKR 339

131.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.80 LKR 265

137.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.93 LKR 308

27.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.46 LKR 153

36.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$10.32 LKR 3,420

-70.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$13.38 LKR 4,433

-54.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.90 LKR 630

-35.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.93 LKR 972

-40.27%

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

$0.40 LKR 133

92.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.35 LKR 115

-34.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$0.94 LKR 311

374.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.38 LKR 456

-5.07%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$37.3K LKR 12.4M

-43.07%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$40.3K LKR 13.4M

-52.51%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$54.2 LKR 18.0K

121.74%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$4.14 LKR 1,372

238.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$20.40 LKR 6,756

35.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$1.81 LKR 598

212.15%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$37.41 LKR 12.4K

635.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$1,223 LKR 404.9K

547.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$17.96 LKR 5,948

174.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$16.50 LKR 5,464

52.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$78.4 LKR 26.0K

-1.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$42.66 LKR 14.1K

34.08%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$90.4 LKR 29.9K

282.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

12.69

-43.26%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Amparai: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Amparai

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Amparai

$237 47.4% 15.2% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Amparai

$79 15.7% 51.3% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Amparai

$70 14% 25.5% $24

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Amparai

$109 21.8% 23.6% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Amparai

$3.6 * 0.7% 91.7% $40

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Amparai

$2.1 * 0.4% 86.3% $13

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

Cost Breakdown

Cebu pays 283% 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 $25.00 in Amparai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $237 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇱🇰 Amparai

🕒 Local time

00:41 12:41 AM

22:11 10:11 PM

2 h 30 min behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

110,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Amparai 4,650 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Amparai

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 Amparai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amparai is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and utilities. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 283% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $275 in Cebu versus $37.41 in Amparai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Amparai – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $24.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Amparai 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 Amparai 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 Amparai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.