Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Ar-rustaq

For one person, living costs are similar in Cebu and in Ar-rustaq: $918 and $958 a month, rent and utilities included.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Ar-rustaq
🇴🇲 Oman
$958
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Ar-rustaq

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 Ar-rustaq actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $918 per month in Cebu vs $958 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

  • Cebu $918
  • Ar-rustaq $958

A couple spends around $1,409 per month in Cebu vs $1,438 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,409
  • Ar-rustaq $1,438

A family of three spends $1,900 per month in Cebu vs $1,918 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,900
  • Ar-rustaq $1,918

Cebu is about 4% cheaper than Ar-rustaq, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cebu and Ar-rustaq are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 32% lower, Ar-rustaq 29% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09 ₱194
$5.31 OMR 2.04
-41.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22 ₱1,525
$39.09 OMR 15.05
-38.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.92 ₱247
$8.01 OMR 3.08
-51.06%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₱158
$5.10 OMR 1.96
-50.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₱100
$0.86 OMR 0.33
84.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.43
$0.29 OMR 0.11
82.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$13.07 OMR 5.03
-86.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱137
$12.84 OMR 4.94
-83.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 ₱121
$2.29 OMR 0.88
-16.16%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱85.4
$1.19 OMR 0.46
14.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.5
$1.84 OMR 0.71
-45.11%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$3.06 OMR 1.18
-33.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 ₱621
$7.51 OMR 2.89
31.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₱277
$7.11 OMR 2.74
-38.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 ₱479
$10.73 OMR 4.13
-29.17%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ₱208
$3.67 OMR 1.41
-10.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.8
$2.02 OMR 0.78
-31.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$2.31 OMR 0.89
0.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ₱94.3
$1.32 OMR 0.51
13.64%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$1.17 OMR 0.45
101.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ₱119
$1.28 OMR 0.49
48.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₱74.9
$1.84 OMR 0.71
-35.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱39.71
$0.71 OMR 0.27
-11.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱189
$6.58 OMR 2.53
-54.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.03 ₱379
$15.57 OMR 5.99
-61.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.7
$5.81 OMR 2.24
-78.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₱110
$10.12 OMR 3.89
-82.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Ar-rustaq
Difference
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
$3.17 OMR 1.22
-75.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.53
$2.56 OMR 0.99
-91.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 ₱281
$7.96 OMR 3.06
-43.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱82.8
$0.63 OMR 0.24
107.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$25.8K OMR 9,938
-17.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$23.0K OMR 8,854
-16.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,569
$181 OMR 69.8
-33.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00 ₱882
$28.68 OMR 11.04
-51.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 ₱1,734
$70.4 OMR 27.10
-60.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.33 ₱2,035
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 ₱419
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.65 ₱356
$10.32 OMR 3.97
-45.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$275 ₱17.3K
$293 OMR 113
-6.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,918 ₱498.5K
$10.7K OMR 4,101
-25.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ₱3,106
$57.4 OMR 22.09
-14.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ₱1,589
$43.10 OMR 16.59
-41.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ₱4,846
$88.8 OMR 34.20
-13.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2 ₱3,601
$86.7 OMR 33.39
-34.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Ar-rustaq
Difference
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
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Ar-rustaq
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$346 ₱21.8K
$4,439 OMR 1,709
-92.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
5.25
37.14%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ar-rustaq: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Ar-rustaq
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206
Ar-rustaq
$293 42.5% $87
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162
Ar-rustaq
$280 73.3% $119
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Ar-rustaq
$124 32.2% $30
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Ar-rustaq
$223 153% $135
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Ar-rustaq
$21 * 52.7% $23
Getting Around
Cebu
$16
Ar-rustaq
$16 * 2.6% $0.4

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 1183% higher in Ar-rustaq, 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 $24.00 in Cebu versus $39.00 in Ar-rustaq. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $293 – making Cebu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇴🇲 Ar-rustaq
🕒 Local time
00:58 12:58 AM
20:58 8:58 PM
4 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
120,000
💱 Currency
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

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).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Ar-rustaq 7,170 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Ar-rustaq

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 Ar-rustaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ar-rustaq cheaper than Cebu?
Yes – Ar-rustaq is pricier by about 4%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,377 per month in Cebu and $1,437 in Ar-rustaq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Ar-rustaq?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $918 in Cebu and $958 in Ar-rustaq. That's a gap of about 4%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $275 per month in Cebu and $293 in Ar-rustaq. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cebu or Ar-rustaq?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $918 in Cebu and $958 in Ar-rustaq, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Cebu or Ar-rustaq more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cebu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Ar-rustaq?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cebu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ar-rustaq makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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