Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Buckingham

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,219 in Buckingham, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Buckingham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,219
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Buckingham

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $2,219 in Buckingham.

  • Cebu $918
  • Buckingham $2,219

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $3,265 in Buckingham.

  • Cebu $1,409
  • Buckingham $3,265

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $4,311 in Buckingham.

  • Cebu $1,900
  • Buckingham $4,311

Living in Cebu costs roughly 59% less than in Buckingham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Buckingham is 64% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Buckingham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09 ₱194
$20.03 £15.03
-84.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22 ₱1,525
$78.9 £59.2
-69.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.92 ₱247
$10.44 £7.83
-62.45%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₱158
$4.60 £3.45
-45.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₱100
$2.05 £1.54
-22.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.43
$1.50 £1.12
-64.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$5.45 £4.09
-67.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱137
$4.52 £3.39
-51.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Buckingham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 ₱121
$1.51 £1.13
27.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱85.4
$1.77 £1.33
-23.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.5
$2.82 £2.11
-64.18%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$4.04 £3.03
-49.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 ₱621
$9.09 £6.82
8.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₱277
$7.72 £5.79
-43.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 ₱479
$16.42 £12.32
-53.71%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ₱208
$3.29 £2.47
0.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.8
$1.54 £1.16
-9.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$2.80 £2.10
-16.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ₱94.3
$3.20 £2.40
-53.13%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$1.16 £0.87
103.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ₱119
$1.73 £1.30
9.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₱74.9
$1.29 £0.97
-7.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱39.71
$1.35 £1.01
-53.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱189
$23.66 £17.75
-87.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.03 ₱379
$10.10 £7.57
-40.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.7
$3.14 £2.36
-60.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₱110
$2.28 £1.71
-23.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Buckingham
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.86
$3.38 £2.53
-92.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.64 ₱796
$94.7 £71.1
-86.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.77 ₱48.62
$4.18 £3.14
-81.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.53
$2.69 £2.02
-91.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 ₱281
$32.36 £24.28
-86.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱82.8
$2.04 £1.53
-35.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$38.4K £28.8K
-44.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$41.3K £31.0K
-53.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Buckingham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,569
$200 £150
-39.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00 ₱882
$17.46 £13.10
-19.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 ₱1,734
$43.68 £32.77
-36.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Buckingham
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.33 ₱2,035
$45.77 £34.34
-29.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 ₱419
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.65 ₱356
$13.38 £10.04
-57.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Buckingham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$275 ₱17.3K
$1,464 £1,099
-81.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,918 ₱498.5K
$22.0K £16.5K
-64.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Buckingham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ₱3,106
$84.3 £63.2
-41.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ₱1,589
$31.33 £23.50
-19.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ₱4,846
$73.7 £55.3
4.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2 ₱3,601
$97.2 £72.9
-41.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Buckingham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₱31.5K
$1,462 £1,097
-65.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$1,036 £777
-70.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 ₱67.9K
$2,105 £1,579
-48.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$615 ₱38.7K
$1,659 £1,244
-62.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,886 ₱181.7K
$5,081 £3,812
-43.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,917 ₱120.7K
$3,819 £2,865
-49.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Buckingham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$346 ₱21.8K
$4,447 £3,336
-92.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
5.06
42.29%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Buckingham: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Buckingham
$1K 235% $727
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206
Buckingham
$297 44.3% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162
Buckingham
$261 61.4% $99
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Buckingham
$129 37.2% $35
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Buckingham
$297 237% $209
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Buckingham
$73 66.3% $29
Getting Around
Cebu
$16
Buckingham
$126 708% $110

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $1,462 in Buckingham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buckingham pays 1185% 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: $24.00 in Cebu vs $79.0 in Buckingham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $297 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇬🇧 Buckingham
🕒 Local time
16:27 4:27 PM
09:27 9:27 AM
7 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
12,890
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 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 Buckingham 11,330 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Buckingham

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 Buckingham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Cebu and in Buckingham?
Cebu and Buckingham differ by about 142% in total monthly costs ($918 vs $2,219 including rent). Cebu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 1185% lower in Buckingham. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Cebu and in Buckingham?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $1,462 in Buckingham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Cebu or Buckingham?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $2,219 in Buckingham – a 142% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Cebu and in Buckingham?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 649% less than in Buckingham. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,219 in Buckingham, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Buckingham. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Cebu and Buckingham?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Cebu or Buckingham safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Buckingham are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Cebu or Buckingham?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% less than in Buckingham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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