Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bialystok

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,450 in Bialystok, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Bialystok
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,450
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Bialystok

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

A single person spends $918 per month in Cebu vs $1,450 in Bialystok, rent included.

  • Cebu $918
  • Bialystok $1,450

A couple spends around $1,409 per month in Cebu vs $2,061 in Bialystok, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,409
  • Bialystok $2,061

A family of three spends $1,900 per month in Cebu vs $2,672 in Bialystok, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,900
  • Bialystok $2,672

Cebu is about 37% cheaper than Bialystok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Cebu sits 32% below the global median, while Bialystok is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Bialystok
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09 ₱194
$9.82 zł 38.15
-68.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22 ₱1,525
$45.59 zł 177
-46.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.92 ₱247
$9.01 zł 35.02
-56.49%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₱158
$3.60 zł 13.99
-30.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₱100
$1.80 zł 6.99
-11.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.43
$1.57 zł 6.11
-66.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$3.47 zł 13.48
-48.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱137
$3.03 zł 11.77
-28.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Bialystok
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 ₱121
$1.06 zł 4.11
81.13%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱85.4
$1.01 zł 3.93
34.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.5
$2.22 zł 8.63
-54.50%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$3.82 zł 14.84
-46.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 ₱621
$9.25 zł 35.94
6.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₱277
$5.78 zł 22.47
-24.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 ₱479
$11.23 zł 43.63
-32.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ₱208
$1.20 zł 4.68
175.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.8
$1.83 zł 7.09
-24.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$1.57 zł 6.08
48.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ₱94.3
$2.00 zł 7.78
-25.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$1.04 zł 4.05
126.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ₱119
$1.17 zł 4.54
62.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₱74.9
$1.12 zł 4.35
6.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱39.71
$0.62 zł 2.40
1.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱189
$5.07 zł 19.70
-40.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.03 ₱379
$6.29 zł 24.45
-4.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.7
$1.15 zł 4.47
6.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₱110
$1.46 zł 5.66
19.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Bialystok
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.86
$1.10 zł 4.26
-77.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.64 ₱796
$32.94 zł 128
-61.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.77 ₱48.62
$2.01 zł 7.81
-61.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.53
$0.65 zł 2.52
-64.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 ₱281
$12.95 zł 50.3
-65.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱82.8
$1.55 zł 6.01
-15.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$30.2K zł 117.4K
-29.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$27.0K zł 105.0K
-29.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Bialystok
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,569
$298 zł 1,157
-59.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00 ₱882
$8.38 zł 32.54
67.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 ₱1,734
$17.99 zł 69.9
53.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Bialystok
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.33 ₱2,035
$41.37 zł 161
-21.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 ₱419
$27.66 zł 107
-75.96%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65 ₱356
$6.71 zł 26.08
-15.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Bialystok
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$275 ₱17.3K
$359 zł 1,394
-23.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,918 ₱498.5K
$4,280 zł 16.6K
85.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Bialystok
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ₱3,106
$98.7 zł 383
-50.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ₱1,589
$36.27 zł 141
-30.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ₱4,846
$86.0 zł 334
-10.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2 ₱3,601
$89.9 zł 349
-36.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Bialystok
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₱31.5K
$541 zł 2,101
-7.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$496 zł 1,925
-37.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 ₱67.9K
$820 zł 3,187
31.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$615 ₱38.7K
$720 zł 2,799
-14.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,886 ₱181.7K
$2,620 zł 10.2K
10.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,917 ₱120.7K
$2,272 zł 8,826
-15.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Bialystok
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$346 ₱21.8K
$1,462 zł 5,680
-76.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
7.07
1.84%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bialystok: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Bialystok
$496 60.4% $187
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206
Bialystok
$207 0.6% $1.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162
Bialystok
$324 100% $162
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Bialystok
$140 48.9% $46
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Bialystok
$186 110% $97
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Bialystok
$55 25.6% $11
Getting Around
Cebu
$16
Bialystok
$43 174% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $500 in Cebu versus $541 in Bialystok. 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 323% higher in Bialystok, 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 $24.00 in Cebu versus $46.00 in Bialystok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $207 – making Cebu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇵🇱 Bialystok
🕒 Local time
01:21 1:21 AM
19:21 7:21 PM
6 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
297,554
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Bialystok 9,800 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Bialystok

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 Bialystok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cebu or Bialystok?
Bialystok costs about 58% more than Cebu, 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 Bialystok?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,377 per month in Cebu and $2,175 in Bialystok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Cebu or Bialystok?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cebu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Cebu and in Bialystok?
Kindergarten costs $275 per month in Cebu and $359 in Bialystok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Cebu or in Bialystok?
Groceries cost about 1% more in Bialystok, 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 $1,500/month in Cebu or in Bialystok?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cebu, where all-in costs run around $918, than in Bialystok at $1,450. In Cebu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bialystok it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cebu or Bialystok?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cebu costs $918 versus $1,450 in Bialystok. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Cebu compared to Bialystok?
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 Bialystok?
If budget matters most, go with Cebu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bialystok makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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