Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Antananarivo

For one person, living is cheaper in Antananarivo: $648 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 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
32

Cost of Living Index in Antananarivo
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Antananarivo Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Antananarivo

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$648

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Antananarivo

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

A single person spends $934 per month in Cebu vs $648 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Cebu $934
Antananarivo $648

A couple spends around $1,415 per month in Cebu vs $1,009 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Cebu $1,415
Antananarivo $1,009

A family of three spends $1,896 per month in Cebu vs $1,370 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Cebu $1,896
Antananarivo $1,370

Cebu costs about 44% more than Antananarivo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cebu and Antananarivo are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 30% lower, Antananarivo 52% 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

$20.36 MGA 91.0K

15.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$5.48 MGA 24.5K

-25.36%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$1.60 MGA 7,154

57.50%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$0.82 MGA 3,653

87.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$0.45 MGA 1,999

8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$0.98 MGA 4,392

82.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$2.31 MGA 10.3K

-2.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.01 MGA 4,497

93.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$1.00 MGA 4,471

43.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$0.76 MGA 3,377

34.21%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$2.07 MGA 9,268

-0.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$8.66 MGA 38.7K

13.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$4.48 MGA 20.0K

2.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$4.95 MGA 22.1K

55.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$1.11 MGA 4,946

198.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$0.58 MGA 2,598

150.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.04 MGA 4,660

126.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$0.81 MGA 3,615

90.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.60 MGA 2,700

293.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$0.99 MGA 4,418

101.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$0.34 MGA 1,532

238.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$0.72 MGA 3,217

-6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$1.55 MGA 6,933

93.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$5.12 MGA 22.9K

24.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$0.98 MGA 4,390

33.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.80 MGA 8,055

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$0.15 MGA 667

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

$3.33 MGA 14.9K

-77.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

$2.05 MGA 9,179

-89.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

$4.41 MGA 19.7K

-1.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$1.18 MGA 5,263

12.71%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$11.9K MGA 53.4M

82.21%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$25.1K MGA 112.2M

-22.71%

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

$121 ₱7,563

$72.8 MGA 325.6K

65.56%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$17.01 MGA 76.0K

-15.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$56.6 MGA 253.0K

-50.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$29.33 MGA 131.1K

11.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

$7.15 MGA 31.9K

-10.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$5.61 MGA 25.1K

-2.67%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$25.35 MGA 113.3K

978.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

$14.8K MGA 66.3M

-45.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

$29.23 MGA 130.7K

69.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

$27.19 MGA 121.5K

-8.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

$78.1 MGA 349.1K

-1.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

$68.3 MGA 305.4K

-13.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

$327 MGA 1.5M

54.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$152 MGA 678.6K

103.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$735 MGA 3.3M

43.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

$319 MGA 1.4M

93.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

$670 MGA 3.0M

335.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

$561 MGA 2.5M

233.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

$130 MGA 579.1K

163.28%

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 Antananarivo: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Antananarivo

$152 23% 50.9% $158

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Antananarivo

$144 21.9% 31.4% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Antananarivo

$146 22.2% 10.3% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Antananarivo

$91 13.8% 3.5% $3.3

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Antananarivo

$72 10.9% 18.9% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Antananarivo

$41 6.1% 7% $3.1

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Antananarivo

$14 * 2.2% 8% $1.2

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Cebu versus $327 in Antananarivo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 163% higher in Cebu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Cebu versus $20.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $144 – making Antananarivo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇲🇬 Antananarivo

🕒 Local time

15:53 3:53 PM

10:53 10:53 AM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,274,225 Capital

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Antananarivo 8,980 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Antananarivo

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 Antananarivo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cebu is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,401 per month in Cebu and $972 in Antananarivo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Antananarivo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $934 in Cebu and $648 in Antananarivo. That's a gap of about 44%.

Kindergarten costs $273 per month in Cebu and $25.35 in Antananarivo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $934 in Cebu and $648 in Antananarivo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Antananarivo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Antananarivo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cebu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.