Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Az-zabadani

For one person, living is cheaper in Az-zabadani: $648 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Az-zabadani
🇸🇾 Syria
$648
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Az-zabadani

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 Az-zabadani actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $918 per month in Cebu vs $648 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

  • Cebu $918
  • Az-zabadani $648

A couple spends around $1,409 per month in Cebu vs $1,023 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,409
  • Az-zabadani $1,023

A family of three spends $1,900 per month in Cebu vs $1,397 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,900
  • Az-zabadani $1,397

Cebu costs about 42% more than Az-zabadani, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cebu and Az-zabadani are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 32% lower, Az-zabadani 52% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Az-zabadani
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09 ₱194
$10.07 SYP 1,224
-69.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22 ₱1,525
$42.10 SYP 5,116
-42.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.92 ₱247
$7.20 SYP 875
-45.56%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₱158
$3.65 SYP 444
-31.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₱100
$2.31 SYP 281
-31.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.43
$0.89 SYP 108
-40.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$1.98 SYP 240
-10.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱137
$4.04 SYP 491
-46.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Az-zabadani
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 ₱121
$1.10 SYP 134
74.55%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱85.4
$0.42 SYP 50.8
223.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.5
$1.57 SYP 191
-35.67%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$1.63 SYP 198
24.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 ₱621
$3.82 SYP 465
158.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₱277
$5.63 SYP 684
-22.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 ₱479
$13.89 SYP 1,689
-45.28%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ₱208
$1.07 SYP 130
208.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.8
$1.37 SYP 166
1.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$1.15 SYP 140
102.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ₱94.3
$1.07 SYP 129
40.19%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$0.78 SYP 95.0
202.56%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ₱119
$0.77 SYP 93.0
146.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₱74.9
$0.40 SYP 49.17
197.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱39.71
$0.62 SYP 75.8
1.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱189
$2.84 SYP 345
5.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.03 ₱379
$6.12 SYP 744
-1.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.7
$1.06 SYP 129
16.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₱110
$2.95 SYP 359
-40.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Az-zabadani
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
$1.02 SYP 123
-24.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.53
$1.56 SYP 190
-85.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 ₱281
$7.66 SYP 931
-41.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱82.8
$3.71 SYP 450
-64.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$14.7K SYP 1.8M
44.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$19.2K SYP 2.3M
-0.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Az-zabadani
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,569
$142 SYP 17.2K
-15.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00 ₱882
$9.50 SYP 1,154
47.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 ₱1,734
$46.91 SYP 5,701
-41.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Az-zabadani
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.33 ₱2,035
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 ₱419
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.65 ₱356
$5.60 SYP 681
0.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Az-zabadani
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$275 ₱17.3K
$67.5 SYP 8,203
307.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,918 ₱498.5K
$1,751 SYP 212.8K
352.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Az-zabadani
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ₱3,106
$28.20 SYP 3,427
74.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ₱1,589
$40.59 SYP 4,933
-37.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ₱4,846
$59.6 SYP 7,245
29.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2 ₱3,601
$57.6 SYP 6,997
-0.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Az-zabadani
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
Az-zabadani
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$346 ₱21.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
14.25
-49.47%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Az-zabadani: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Az-zabadani
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206
Az-zabadani
$169 17.8% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162
Az-zabadani
$198 22.6% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Az-zabadani
$84 10.9% $10
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Az-zabadani
$177 100% $89
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Az-zabadani
$11 * 74.3% $32
Getting Around
Cebu
$16
Az-zabadani
$8.8 * 43.4% $6.8

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Cebu versus $42.00 in Az-zabadani. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Cebu vs $169 in Az-zabadani – so Az-zabadani wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇸🇾 Az-zabadani
🕒 Local time
01:35 1:35 AM
20:35 8:35 PM
5 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
26,285
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SYP, 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).

Syrian Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 122 SYP (1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 137 SYP (1,000 SYP = 7.32 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Az-zabadani 9,170 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Az-zabadani

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 Az-zabadani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cebu or Az-zabadani?
Cebu costs about 42% more than Az-zabadani, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cebu and in Az-zabadani?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,377 per month in Cebu and $972 in Az-zabadani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Cebu and in Az-zabadani?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Cebu and $42.00 in Az-zabadani. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Cebu or in Az-zabadani?
Groceries cost about 22% more in Cebu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $800/month in Cebu or in Az-zabadani?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $918 in Cebu and $648 in Az-zabadani, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cebu or Az-zabadani?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Az-zabadani costs $648 versus $918 in Cebu. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Cebu compared to Az-zabadani?
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.
Should I move to Cebu or to Az-zabadani?
If budget matters most, go with Az-zabadani. 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.

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