Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bahir Dar

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $368 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$368

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Bahir Dar

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

A single person spends $934 per month in Cebu vs $368 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Cebu $934
Bahir Dar $368

A couple spends around $1,415 per month in Cebu vs $571 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Cebu $1,415
Bahir Dar $571

A family of three spends $1,896 per month in Cebu vs $774 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Cebu $1,896
Bahir Dar $774

Cebu costs about 154% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cebu and Bahir Dar are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 30% lower, Bahir Dar 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$3.48 ETB 560

-12.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$1.02 ETB 163

147.06%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$0.42 ETB 66.9

266.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$0.48 ETB 77.4

2.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$0.78 ETB 125

129.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$1.99 ETB 319

13.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.02 ETB 164

91.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$1.03 ETB 165

38.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$0.98 ETB 158

4.08%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$1.72 ETB 277

19.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$9.98 ETB 1,604

-22.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$3.03 ETB 486

9.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$0.97 ETB 156

49.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.97 ETB 317

19.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$0.83 ETB 134

85.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.63 ETB 100

274.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.12 ETB 180

77.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$0.98 ETB 157

17.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$0.51 ETB 82.7

31.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$3.89 ETB 625

63.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$0.82 ETB 132

59.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.95 ETB 314

-11.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

$0.48 ETB 77.3

-56.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

$2.01 ETB 324

115.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$0.98 ETB 158

35.71%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

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

$121 ₱7,563

$98.4 ETB 15.8K

22.60%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$10.01 ETB 1,609

44.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$49.08 ETB 7,886

-33.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

$60.4 ETB 9,710

-89.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$6.03 ETB 968

-9.45%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$50.3 ETB 8,077

443.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

$50.4 ETB 8,099

-1.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

$2,002 ETB 321.7K

45.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

$1,488 ETB 239.1K

25.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

$197 ETB 31.6K

73.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Bahir Dar

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Bahir Dar

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Bahir Dar

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Bahir Dar

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Bahir Dar

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Bahir Dar

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Bahir Dar

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 73% higher in Cebu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🕒 Local time

19:49 7:49 PM

14:49 2:49 PM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

350,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ETB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.28 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Bahir Dar 9,400 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Bahir Dar

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 Bahir Dar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu costs about 154% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,401 per month in Cebu and $551 in Bahir Dar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $934 in Cebu and $368 in Bahir Dar. That's a gap of about 154%.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Cebu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $934 in Cebu and $368 in Bahir Dar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bahir Dar costs $368 versus $934 in Cebu. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Bahir Dar. 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.