For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,578 in Arnhem, rent and utilities included – about $19,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most 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 Arnhem actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $2,578 in Arnhem.
Cebu $934
Arnhem $2,578
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $3,771 in Arnhem.
Cebu $1,415
Arnhem $3,771
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $4,963 in Arnhem.
Cebu $1,896
Arnhem $4,963
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 64% less than in Arnhem, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Arnhem is 92% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Arnhem
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03₱190
$22.70€20.26
-86.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48₱1,473
$87.4€78.0
-73.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.09₱256
$13.44€11.99
-69.57%
Cappuccino
$2.52₱158
$4.16€3.71
-39.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54₱96.9
$3.29€2.93
-53.19%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49₱30.98
$2.85€2.54
-82.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.79₱112
$5.65€5.04
-68.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26₱142
$5.74€5.12
-60.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Arnhem
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.95₱122
$1.43€1.27
36.36%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43₱89.7
$2.07€1.85
-30.92%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02₱63.8
$2.33€2.08
-56.22%
Eggs
$2.06₱129
$5.39€4.81
-61.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.81₱615
$12.96€11.57
-24.31%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.61₱289
$14.57€13.01
-68.36%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.70₱483
$15.70€14.01
-50.96%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31₱207
$2.74€2.44
20.80%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45₱90.9
$2.51€2.24
-42.23%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$1.83€1.64
28.96%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.54₱96.4
$5.56€4.96
-72.30%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$1.89€1.68
24.87%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99₱125
$2.36€2.11
-15.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.15₱72.1
$1.28€1.14
-10.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67₱42.15
$0.72€0.64
-6.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱188
$14.29€12.75
-79.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.35₱398
$7.01€6.26
-9.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31₱81.9
$1.45€1.30
-9.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73₱108
$2.65€2.37
-34.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Arnhem
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.78
$4.50€4.02
-94.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.65₱793
$110€98.5
-88.54%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.74₱46.32
$4.05€3.62
-81.73%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.21₱13.11
$2.38€2.12
-91.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.33₱271
$33.37€29.78
-87.02%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33₱83.5
$2.49€2.22
-46.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K₱1.4M
$40.7K€36.3K
-46.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K₱1.2M
$38.8K€34.7K
-50.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Arnhem
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$121₱7,563
$283€253
-57.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45₱907
$23.28€20.78
-37.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29₱1,774
$42.42€37.86
-33.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Arnhem
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.68₱2,050
$41.76€37.27
-21.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39₱401
$11.05€9.86
-42.17%
Cinema Ticket
$5.46₱342
$14.48€12.92
-62.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Arnhem
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$273₱17.1K
$1,233€1,100
-77.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,156₱511.5K
$5,877€5,245
38.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Arnhem
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57₱3,109
$97.6€87.1
-49.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87₱1,560
$29.21€26.06
-14.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.6₱4,804
$105€93.7
-27.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3₱3,717
$154€138
-61.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Arnhem
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$506₱31.7K
$1,431€1,277
-64.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$1,181€1,054
-73.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,052₱66.0K
$2,217€1,979
-52.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$619₱38.8K
$1,793€1,600
-65.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,915₱182.9K
$5,196€4,637
-43.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,867₱117.1K
$4,230€3,775
-55.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Arnhem
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$341₱21.4K
$3,648€3,255
-90.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
3.95
82.28%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026
Last update for Arnhem: October 3, 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 33.5%
Arnhem
$1.2K 45.5% ↑ 282%$871
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210 22.7%
Arnhem
$339 13.1% ↑ 61.3%$129
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163 17.7%
Arnhem
$349 13.5% ↑ 114%$186
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95 10.2%
Arnhem
$174 6.7% ↑ 83.6%$79
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Arnhem
$336 13% ↑ 280%$248
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.7%
Arnhem
$71 2.7% ↑ 62.2%$27
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$15 1.7%
Arnhem
$144 5.6% ↑ 835%$129
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$619 32.4%
Arnhem
$1.8K 36.4% ↑ 190%$1.2K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$493 25.8%
Arnhem
$809 16.4% ↑ 64.2%$316
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$178 9.3%
Arnhem
$372 7.6% ↑ 109%$194
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$210 11%
Arnhem
$386 7.8% ↑ 83.6%$176
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$288 15.1%
Arnhem
$1.1K 22.7% ↑ 288%$829
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Arnhem
$153 3.1% ↑ 63%$59
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$31 1.6%
Arnhem
$298 6% ↑ 848%$266
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $1,431 in Arnhem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Arnhem pays 969% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $87.0 in Arnhem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $339 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 Arnhem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Cebu and in Arnhem?
Cebu and Arnhem differ by about 176% in total monthly costs ($934 vs $2,578 including rent). Cebu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 969% lower in Arnhem. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Cebu and in Arnhem?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $1,431 in Arnhem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Arnhem. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Cebu – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $87.0 in Arnhem. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $934 in Cebu versus $2,578 in Arnhem, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Arnhem. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Cebu and Arnhem?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Cebu or Arnhem safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Arnhem are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Cebu or Arnhem?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 176% less than in Arnhem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.