Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Banjul

For one person, living is cheaper in Banjul: $674 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
Banjul
🇬🇲 Gambia
$674
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Banjul

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

A single person spends $934 per month in Cebu vs $674 in Banjul, rent included.

  • Cebu $934
  • Banjul $674

A couple spends around $1,415 per month in Cebu vs $1,184 in Banjul, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,415
  • Banjul $1,184

A family of three spends $1,896 per month in Cebu vs $1,695 in Banjul, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,896
  • Banjul $1,695

Cebu costs about 39% more than Banjul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cebu and Banjul are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 30% lower, Banjul 50% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Banjul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03 ₱190
$7.29 GMD 525
-58.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48 ₱1,473
$73.0 GMD 5,255
-67.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.09 ₱256
$7.91 GMD 570
-48.29%
Cappuccino
$2.52 ₱158
$3.76 GMD 271
-32.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₱96.9
$2.66 GMD 192
-42.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₱30.98
$1.54 GMD 111
-68.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.79 ₱112
$5.45 GMD 392
-67.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 ₱142
$4.44 GMD 320
-49.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Banjul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ₱122
$1.38 GMD 99.4
41.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ₱89.7
$0.64 GMD 46.22
123.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.02 ₱63.8
$1.29 GMD 93.2
-20.93%
Eggs
$2.06 ₱129
$1.97 GMD 142
4.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.81 ₱615
$6.16 GMD 444
59.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.61 ₱289
$2.63 GMD 189
75.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.70 ₱483
$5.45 GMD 392
41.28%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 ₱207
$2.06 GMD 148
60.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 ₱90.9
$1.22 GMD 87.5
18.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 ₱148
$1.76 GMD 126
34.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 ₱96.4
$1.32 GMD 95.4
16.67%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱148
$0.88 GMD 63.5
168.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 ₱125
$1.00 GMD 72.0
99.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 ₱72.1
$0.25 GMD 18.05
360.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 ₱42.15
$0.61 GMD 43.98
9.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱188
$1.66 GMD 120
80.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.35 ₱398
$6.29 GMD 453
0.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₱81.9
$1.53 GMD 110
-14.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 ₱108
$1.69 GMD 121
2.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Banjul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.78
$0.19 GMD 13.40
31.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.65 ₱793
$6.40 GMD 461
97.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.74 ₱46.32
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.21 ₱13.11
$0.71 GMD 51.0
-70.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.33 ₱271
$4.12 GMD 297
5.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 ₱83.5
$1.08 GMD 78.0
23.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₱1.4M
$2,616 GMD 188.4K
731.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K ₱1.2M
$3,205 GMD 230.7K
505.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Banjul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$121 ₱7,563
$30.89 GMD 2,224
290.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45 ₱907
$14.21 GMD 1,023
1.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29 ₱1,774
$45.37 GMD 3,267
-37.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Banjul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.68 ₱2,050
$23.56 GMD 1,696
38.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39 ₱401
$13.61 GMD 980
-53.05%
Cinema Ticket
$5.46 ₱342
$3.37 GMD 242
62.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Banjul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$273 ₱17.1K
$6.59 GMD 474
4048.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,156 ₱511.5K
$136 GMD 9,785
5901.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Banjul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57 ₱3,109
$55.2 GMD 3,974
-10.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87 ₱1,560
$43.48 GMD 3,131
-42.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.6 ₱4,804
$99.0 GMD 7,129
-22.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3 ₱3,717
$85.6 GMD 6,166
-30.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Banjul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$506 ₱31.7K
$101 GMD 7,247
402.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$81.2 GMD 5,843
281.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,052 ₱66.0K
$213 GMD 15.4K
392.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$619 ₱38.8K
$138 GMD 9,916
349.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,915 ₱182.9K
$1,438 GMD 103.5K
102.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,867 ₱117.1K
$1,160 GMD 83.5K
60.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Banjul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$341 ₱21.4K
$60.6 GMD 4,366
462.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
15
-52.00%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Banjul: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Banjul
$81 73.8% $228
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210
Banjul
$149 29.2% $61
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163
Banjul
$90 44.6% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95
Banjul
$127 34.7% $33
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Banjul
$180 104% $92
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Banjul
$30 30.5% $13
Getting Around
Cebu
$15
Banjul
$11 * 30.8% $4.8

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Cebu versus $101 in Banjul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 462% higher in Cebu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Cebu versus $73.0 in Banjul. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Cebu vs $149 in Banjul – so Banjul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇬🇲 Banjul
🕒 Local time
19:14 7:14 PM
11:14 11:14 AM
8 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
31,356 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GMD, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

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).

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 72 GMD (100 GMD = 1.39 USD). 1 EUR = 80.68 GMD (100 GMD = 1.24 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Banjul 14,920 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Banjul

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 Banjul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Banjul cheaper than Cebu?
Yes – Cebu is pricier by about 39%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,401 per month in Cebu and $1,010 in Banjul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Banjul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Banjul?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $934 in Cebu and $674 in Banjul. That's a gap of about 39%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 98% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cebu or Banjul?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $934 in Cebu and $674 in Banjul, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Cebu or Banjul more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Banjul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Banjul?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Banjul. 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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