Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Baia Mare Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Baia Mare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $879 in Cebu versus $876 in Baia Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,347 in Cebu versus $1,406 in Baia Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,815 in Cebu versus $1,937 in Baia Mare.

Monthly costs are close between Cebu and Baia Mare; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 34% lower, Baia Mare 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 ₱266

$9.38 RON 42.66

-53.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.95 ₱1,466

$37.06 RON 168

-35.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.48 ₱274

$7.10 RON 32.26

-36.90%

Cappuccino

$2.58 ₱158

$2.11 RON 9.59

22.27%

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

$0.78 ₱47.91

$1.82 RON 8.26

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱27.71

$1.29 RON 5.85

-65.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ₱93.0

$1.60 RON 7.25

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱131

$2.20 RON 10.02

-2.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 ₱142

$1.49 RON 6.79

55.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ₱93.4

$1.22 RON 5.54

25.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 ₱71.9

$1.52 RON 6.91

-23.03%

Eggs

$2.35 ₱144

$3.34 RON 15.17

-29.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 ₱776

$7.49 RON 34.04

69.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 ₱322

$5.93 RON 26.96

-11.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 ₱482

$8.71 RON 39.61

-9.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 ₱213

$1.21 RON 5.48

187.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₱89.5

$1.60 RON 7.25

-8.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 ₱203

$1.68 RON 7.63

97.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₱139

$2.12 RON 9.62

7.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 ₱163

$0.77 RON 3.49

245.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 ₱150

$0.94 RON 4.29

160.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ₱56.8

$1.01 RON 4.59

-7.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.49

$0.79 RON 3.60

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₱191

$5.20 RON 23.66

-40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 ₱390

$5.05 RON 22.96

26.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₱73.0

$1.00 RON 4.53

19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱138

$1.86 RON 8.47

20.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.91

$0.71 RON 3.22

-63.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.85 ₱909

$16.15 RON 73.4

-8.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱53.1

$0.72 RON 3.29

20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.04

$0.87 RON 3.95

-73.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 ₱165

$9.37 RON 42.61

-71.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱67.8

$1.53 RON 6.94

-27.45%

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

$30.0K ₱1.8M

$28.0K RON 127.3K

7.16%

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

$26.8K ₱1.6M

$26.2K RON 119.0K

2.18%

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

$96.9 ₱5,928

$114 RON 520

-15.37%

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

$34.35 ₱2,103

$8.42 RON 38.28

307.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 ₱1,815

$11.49 RON 52.2

158.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.03 ₱2,022

$51.7 RON 235

-36.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.50 ₱520

$20.99 RON 95.4

-59.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 ₱356

$6.97 RON 31.69

-16.50%

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

$227 ₱13.9K

$435 RON 1,979

-47.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,968 ₱242.9K

$6,894 RON 31.3K

-42.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₱3,263

$54.2 RON 247

-1.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.14 ₱1,417

$38.93 RON 177

-40.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ₱4,570

$67.9 RON 309

10.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,336

$92.3 RON 420

-40.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.5K

$284 RON 1,292

81.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 ₱13.3K

$207 RON 943

4.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 ₱48.1K

$537 RON 2,443

46.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₱23.8K

$401 RON 1,823

-3.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,908 ₱178.0K

$2,106 RON 9,574

38.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,911 ₱117.0K

$1,463 RON 6,651

30.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.2K

$898 RON 4,081

-61.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

23.08%

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

Last update for Cebu: July 27, 2026

Last update for Baia Mare: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $284 in Baia Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baia Mare pays 160% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $37.00 in Baia Mare. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $194, with Baia Mare cheaper for home cooking.

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 Baia Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 160% lower in Baia Mare. 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: $515 in Cebu versus $284 in Baia Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baia Mare runs roughly 9% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $876 in Baia Mare versus $879 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baia Mare but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Baia Mare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Baia Mare is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Baia Mare are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Baia Mare wins on affordability, Cebu on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.