Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Brentwood

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $3,111 in Brentwood, rent and utilities included – about $26,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Brentwood
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,111
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Brentwood

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

A single person spends $918 per month in Cebu vs $3,111 in Brentwood, rent included.

  • Cebu $918
  • Brentwood $3,111

A couple spends around $1,409 per month in Cebu vs $4,334 in Brentwood, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,409
  • Brentwood $4,334

A family of three spends $1,900 per month in Cebu vs $5,556 in Brentwood, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,900
  • Brentwood $5,556

Cebu is about 71% cheaper than Brentwood, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Cebu sits 32% below the global median, while Brentwood is 130% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Brentwood
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09 ₱194
$20.06 £15.05
-84.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22 ₱1,525
$80.4 £60.3
-69.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.92 ₱247
$11.34 £8.51
-65.43%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₱158
$4.59 £3.44
-45.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₱100
$1.81 £1.36
-12.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.43
$1.14 £0.85
-53.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$6.55 £4.91
-72.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱137
$5.84 £4.38
-62.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Brentwood
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 ₱121
$1.61 £1.21
19.25%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱85.4
$1.09 £0.82
24.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.5
$2.25 £1.69
-55.11%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$4.03 £3.03
-49.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 ₱621
$8.66 £6.49
13.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₱277
$6.42 £4.82
-31.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 ₱479
$12.76 £9.58
-40.44%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ₱208
$3.20 £2.40
3.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.8
$1.48 £1.11
-6.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$2.58 £1.94
-9.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ₱94.3
$2.77 £2.08
-45.85%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$0.79 £0.60
198.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ₱119
$1.29 £0.97
47.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₱74.9
$0.80 £0.60
48.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱39.71
$1.30 £0.97
-51.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱189
$17.53 £13.15
-82.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.03 ₱379
$8.83 £6.63
-31.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.7
$2.17 £1.63
-43.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₱110
$2.04 £1.53
-14.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Brentwood
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.86
$5.29 £3.97
-95.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.64 ₱796
$95.5 £71.6
-86.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.77 ₱48.62
$4.90 £3.68
-84.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.53
$1.43 £1.08
-83.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 ₱281
$22.16 £16.63
-79.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱82.8
$2.05 £1.54
-36.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$37.9K £28.4K
-43.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$39.8K £29.8K
-51.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Brentwood
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,569
$310 £232
-61.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00 ₱882
$14.52 £10.89
-3.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 ₱1,734
$40.13 £30.11
-31.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Brentwood
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.33 ₱2,035
$32.88 £24.67
-1.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 ₱419
$22.89 £17.17
-70.95%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65 ₱356
$20.83 £15.62
-72.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Brentwood
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$275 ₱17.3K
$1,882 £1,412
-85.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,918 ₱498.5K
$22.7K £17.0K
-65.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Brentwood
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ₱3,106
$91.8 £68.8
-46.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ₱1,589
$40.16 £30.13
-37.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ₱4,846
$79.3 £59.5
-2.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2 ₱3,601
$93.4 £70.1
-38.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Brentwood
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₱31.5K
$1,500 £1,126
-66.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$1,847 £1,385
-83.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 ₱67.9K
$2,704 £2,029
-60.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$615 ₱38.7K
$2,821 £2,116
-78.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,886 ₱181.7K
$4,926 £3,695
-41.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,917 ₱120.7K
$3,907 £2,931
-50.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Brentwood
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$346 ₱21.8K
$3,357 £2,518
-89.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
4.67
54.18%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Brentwood: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Brentwood
$1.8K 498% $1.5K
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206
Brentwood
$254 23.4% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162
Brentwood
$364 125% $203
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Brentwood
$137 46% $43
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Brentwood
$306 246% $217
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Brentwood
$75 70.9% $31
Getting Around
Cebu
$16
Brentwood
$129 727% $113

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $500 in Cebu versus $1,500 in Brentwood. 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 870% higher in Brentwood, 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 $80.0 in Brentwood. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $254 – making Cebu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇬🇧 Brentwood
🕒 Local time
06:03 6:03 AM
23:03 11:03 PM
7 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
76,575
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Brentwood 11,280 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Brentwood

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 Brentwood: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cebu or Brentwood?
Brentwood costs about 239% 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 Brentwood?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,377 per month in Cebu and $4,667 in Brentwood. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Cebu or Brentwood?
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 dining costs compare in Cebu and in Brentwood?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Cebu and $80.0 in Brentwood. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Cebu compared to Brentwood?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $918 in Cebu and $3,111 in Brentwood. That's a gap of about 239%.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Cebu or in Brentwood?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cebu, where all-in costs run around $918, than in Brentwood at $3,111. In Cebu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brentwood it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cebu or Brentwood?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cebu costs $918 versus $3,111 in Brentwood. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Cebu compared to Brentwood?
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 Brentwood?
If budget matters most, go with Cebu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brentwood makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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