Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Askim

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $915 a month against $2,808 in Askim, rent and utilities included – about $22,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$915
/mo nomad
Askim
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,808
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Askim

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Cebu versus $2,808 in Askim.

  • Cebu $915
  • Askim $2,808

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Cebu versus $4,262 in Askim.

  • Cebu $1,418
  • Askim $4,262

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,921 in Cebu versus $5,717 in Askim.

  • Cebu $1,921
  • Askim $5,717

Living in Cebu costs roughly 67% less than in Askim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 33% below, Askim is 107% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Askim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.05 ₱192
$20.69 NOK 195
-85.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.00 ₱1,511
$125 NOK 1,177
-80.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.99 ₱251
$15.56 NOK 146
-74.36%
Cappuccino
$2.50 ₱157
$5.87 NOK 55.3
-57.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₱97.1
$4.19 NOK 39.43
-63.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ₱31.37
$3.45 NOK 32.47
-85.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$11.55 NOK 109
-84.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱136
$12.45 NOK 117
-82.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Askim
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.00 ₱126
$2.44 NOK 22.94
-18.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.37 ₱86.2
$4.23 NOK 39.81
-67.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.03 ₱64.9
$4.53 NOK 42.62
-77.26%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$6.01 NOK 56.6
-66.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.20 ₱642
$14.63 NOK 138
-30.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.45 ₱280
$15.70 NOK 148
-71.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.67 ₱483
$31.27 NOK 294
-75.47%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 ₱208
$3.39 NOK 31.93
-2.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 ₱91.8
$2.59 NOK 24.42
-43.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.32 ₱146
$3.39 NOK 31.96
-31.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.49 ₱94.0
$5.94 NOK 55.9
-74.92%
Potato (1kg)
$2.34 ₱147
$2.76 NOK 25.95
-15.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 ₱122
$2.90 NOK 27.34
-33.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 ₱73.0
$3.09 NOK 29.11
-62.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 ₱42.89
$2.39 NOK 22.47
-71.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.99 ₱188
$19.01 NOK 179
-84.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.24 ₱393
$16.31 NOK 154
-61.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.3
$3.54 NOK 33.31
-65.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 ₱109
$4.33 NOK 40.76
-60.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Askim
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 ₱14.36
$4.54 NOK 42.73
-94.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.34 ₱777
$84.4 NOK 794
-85.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.79 ₱49.96
$11.72 NOK 110
-93.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 ₱13.86
$1.84 NOK 17.34
-88.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.54 ₱286
$68.5 NOK 644
-93.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 ₱82.9
$2.36 NOK 22.18
-44.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ₱1.3M
$49.0K NOK 460.8K
-57.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K ₱1.2M
$37.9K NOK 356.3K
-48.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Askim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$119 ₱7,464
$417 NOK 3,928
-71.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.22 ₱896
$33.62 NOK 316
-57.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.47 ₱1,730
$53.4 NOK 503
-48.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Askim
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.31 ₱2,034
$50.2 NOK 472
-35.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.50 ₱409
$36.88 NOK 347
-82.38%
Cinema Ticket
$5.40 ₱340
$15.42 NOK 145
-64.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Askim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$276 ₱17.4K
$238 NOK 2,245
15.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,866 ₱495.3K
$15.3K NOK 143.9K
-48.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Askim
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.37 ₱3,108
$100 NOK 942
-50.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.58 ₱1,548
$59.8 NOK 563
-58.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.6 ₱4,825
$133 NOK 1,248
-42.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.9 ₱3,706
$158 NOK 1,487
-62.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Askim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$503 ₱31.7K
$1,194 NOK 11.2K
-57.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$305 ₱19.2K
$986 NOK 9,280
-69.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 ₱67.7K
$1,969 NOK 18.5K
-45.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$632 ₱39.8K
$1,679 NOK 15.8K
-62.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,870 ₱180.7K
$6,007 NOK 56.6K
-52.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,877 ₱118.2K
$4,059 NOK 38.2K
-53.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Askim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$336 ₱21.1K
$4,161 NOK 39.2K
-91.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
4.94
45.75%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Askim: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$305
Askim
$986 224% $681
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210
Askim
$515 146% $305
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$160
Askim
$504 215% $344
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Askim
$203 115% $108
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Askim
$396 351% $308
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$43
Askim
$81 87.9% $38
Getting Around
Cebu
$15
Askim
$123 715% $108

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Cebu and $1,194 in Askim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 1139% 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 $125 in Askim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $515 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇳🇴 Askim
🕒 Local time
23:10 11:10 PM
17:10 5:10 PM
6 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
15,368
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Askim 10,250 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Askim

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 Askim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Cebu and in Askim?
Cebu and Askim differ by about 207% in total monthly costs ($915 vs $2,808 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 1139% lower in Askim. 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 Askim?
Rent for a central apartment: $503 in Cebu versus $1,194 in Askim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Cebu – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $125 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Cebu or Askim?
All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Cebu versus $2,808 in Askim – a 207% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $915 in Cebu versus $2,808 in Askim, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Askim. 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 Askim?
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 Askim safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Askim 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 Askim?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 207% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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