Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,200 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
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Cebu $934
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Cebu $1,415
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Cebu $1,896
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Cebu costs roughly 65% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱191

$20.22 $20.22

-85.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,476

$85.0 $85.0

-72.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱257

$12.35 $12.35

-66.88%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$5.47 $5.47

-53.93%

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

$1.54 ₱97.2

$3.82 $3.82

-59.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.06

$2.50 $2.50

-80.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱113

$8.06 $8.06

-77.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$8.99 $8.99

-74.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.13 $1.13

72.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.9

$3.78 $3.78

-62.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$3.25 $3.25

-68.62%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$4.14 $4.14

-50.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱617

$13.08 $13.08

-25.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱290

$14.31 $14.31

-67.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱484

$15.96 $15.96

-51.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$4.38 $4.38

-24.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

$1.45 $1.45

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$4.54 $4.54

-48.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

$4.19 $4.19

-63.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.63 $2.63

-10.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$2.36 $2.36

-15.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.3

$1.76 $1.76

-34.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.26

$2.16 $2.16

-68.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$9.81 $9.81

-69.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱399

$14.72 $14.72

-56.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.1

$2.78 $2.78

-52.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$3.48 $3.48

-50.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

$1.49 $1.49

-83.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱796

$40.51 $40.51

-68.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.44

$2.67 $2.67

-72.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$1.58 $1.58

-86.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$35.29 $35.29

-87.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

$0.99 $0.99

34.34%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$35.8K $35.8K

-39.21%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$27.2K $27.2K

-28.62%

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

$121 ₱7,583

$219 $219

-45.01%

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

$14.45 ₱909

$58.0 $58.0

-75.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,779

$68.4 $68.4

-58.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,055

$57.9 $57.9

-43.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱402

$14.82 $14.82

-56.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱343

$14.13 $14.13

-61.36%

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

$273 ₱17.2K

$1,509 $1,509

-81.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱512.9K

$21.5K $21.5K

-61.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,117

$51.7 $51.7

-4.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,564

$44.05 $44.05

-43.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,817

$85.1 $85.1

-9.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,727

$105 $105

-43.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.8K

$1,932 $1,932

-73.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

$1,272 $1,272

-75.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.1K

$3,670 $3,670

-71.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.9K

$2,525 $2,525

-75.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱183.4K

$7,617 $7,617

-61.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.4K

$3,199 $3,199

-41.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.5K

$5,105 $5,105

-93.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.79

6.04%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 311% $963

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 91.5% $192

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 112% $182

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 36.1% $34

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 294% $260

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 97.6% $43

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 269% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1397% 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 $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $403 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

08:29 8:29 AM

19:29 7:29 PM

13 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

974,447

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Austin, TX 13,680 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Austin, TX

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 Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu wins on cost – living expenses run 189% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cebu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1397% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 189% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 220% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Cebu versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cebu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $934 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cebu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Austin, TX 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 189% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.