For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,844 in Bergen, rent and utilities included – about $22,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
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 Bergen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $2,844 in Bergen.
Cebu $934
Bergen $2,844
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $4,282 in Bergen.
Cebu $1,415
Bergen $4,282
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $5,719 in Bergen.
Cebu $1,896
Bergen $5,719
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 67% less than in Bergen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Bergen is 112% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Bergen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03₱190
$22.98NOK 219
-86.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48₱1,473
$135NOK 1,292
-82.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.09₱256
$15.52NOK 148
-73.65%
Cappuccino
$2.52₱158
$5.42NOK 51.8
-53.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54₱96.9
$5.10NOK 48.71
-69.80%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49₱30.98
$4.47NOK 42.65
-89.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.79₱112
$12.57NOK 120
-85.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26₱142
$10.41NOK 99.4
-78.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Bergen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.95₱122
$2.15NOK 20.57
-9.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43₱89.7
$3.78NOK 36.13
-62.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02₱63.8
$3.51NOK 33.54
-70.94%
Eggs
$2.06₱129
$6.41NOK 61.3
-67.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.81₱615
$14.32NOK 137
-31.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.61₱289
$17.21NOK 164
-73.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.70₱483
$36.16NOK 345
-78.71%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31₱207
$4.12NOK 39.38
-19.66%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45₱90.9
$2.72NOK 25.95
-46.69%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$3.61NOK 34.44
-34.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.54₱96.4
$5.39NOK 51.4
-71.43%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$2.52NOK 24.02
-6.35%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99₱125
$3.35NOK 31.97
-40.60%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.15₱72.1
$2.86NOK 27.34
-59.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67₱42.15
$1.78NOK 17.03
-62.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱188
$17.10NOK 163
-82.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.35₱398
$17.97NOK 172
-64.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31₱81.9
$3.59NOK 34.31
-63.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73₱108
$4.21NOK 40.20
-58.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Bergen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.78
$5.15NOK 49.21
-95.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.65₱793
$86.4NOK 825
-85.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.74₱46.32
$12.39NOK 118
-94.03%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.21₱13.11
$1.84NOK 17.61
-88.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.33₱271
$70.5NOK 674
-93.86%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33₱83.5
$2.35NOK 22.42
-43.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K₱1.4M
$48.6KNOK 463.7K
-55.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K₱1.2M
$43.3KNOK 413.9K
-55.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Bergen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$121₱7,563
$275NOK 2,623
-56.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45₱907
$32.93NOK 314
-56.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29₱1,774
$82.9NOK 791
-65.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Bergen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.68₱2,050
$45.61NOK 436
-28.35%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39₱401
$41.77NOK 399
-84.70%
Cinema Ticket
$5.46₱342
$18.87NOK 180
-71.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Bergen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$273₱17.1K
$238NOK 2,272
14.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,156₱511.5K
$12.0KNOK 114.9K
-32.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Bergen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57₱3,109
$107NOK 1,022
-53.68%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87₱1,560
$54.6NOK 522
-54.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.6₱4,804
$118NOK 1,128
-35.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3₱3,717
$162NOK 1,545
-63.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Bergen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$506₱31.7K
$1,414NOK 13.5K
-64.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$1,083NOK 10.3K
-71.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,052₱66.0K
$2,348NOK 22.4K
-55.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$619₱38.8K
$1,696NOK 16.2K
-63.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,915₱182.9K
$7,822NOK 74.7K
-62.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,867₱117.1K
$4,769NOK 45.5K
-60.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Bergen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$341₱21.4K
$4,527NOK 43.2K
-92.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
5.27
36.62%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026
Last update for Bergen: October 3, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309 33.5%
Bergen
$1.1K 38.3% ↑ 250%$774
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210 22.7%
Bergen
$524 18.6% ↑ 149%$314
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163 17.7%
Bergen
$390 13.8% ↑ 139%$227
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95 10.2%
Bergen
$199 7% ↑ 110%$104
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Bergen
$417 14.8% ↑ 372%$329
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.7%
Bergen
$83 3% ↑ 91.2%$40
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$15 1.7%
Bergen
$129 4.6% ↑ 733%$113
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$619 32.4%
Bergen
$1.7K 29.4% ↑ 174%$1.1K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$493 25.8%
Bergen
$1.2K 21.3% ↑ 149%$732
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$178 9.3%
Bergen
$423 7.4% ↑ 138%$246
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$210 11%
Bergen
$441 7.7% ↑ 110%$231
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$288 15.1%
Bergen
$1.5K 26% ↑ 419%$1.2K
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Bergen
$208 3.6% ↑ 123%$115
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$31 1.6%
Bergen
$268 4.7% ↑ 753%$236
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $1,414 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bergen pays 1227% 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 $135 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $524 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
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 Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bergen cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 205% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Bergen?
On paper, salaries run 1227% lower in Bergen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Bergen?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $1,414 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $273 in Cebu versus $238 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Cebu and in Bergen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 149% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Bergen?
At $934 in Cebu versus $2,844 in Bergen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Bergen more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bergen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Bergen?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Bergen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 205% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.