For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,614 in Burnie, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most 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 Burnie actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,614 in Burnie.
Cebu $934
Burnie $1,614
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $2,472 in Burnie.
Cebu $1,415
Burnie $2,472
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $3,330 in Burnie.
Cebu $1,896
Burnie $3,330
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 42% less than in Burnie, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Burnie is 20% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Burnie
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03₱191
$18.28A$26.26
-83.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48₱1,476
$90.6A$130
-74.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.09₱257
$5.42A$7.78
-24.54%
Cappuccino
$2.52₱158
$3.96A$5.68
-36.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54₱97.2
$3.52A$5.05
-56.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49₱31.06
$1.69A$2.43
-71.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.79₱113
$4.17A$5.99
-57.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26₱142
$5.97A$8.57
-62.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Burnie
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.95₱122
$1.84A$2.64
5.98%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43₱89.9
$2.50A$3.59
-42.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02₱64.0
$1.91A$2.74
-46.60%
Eggs
$2.06₱129
$4.88A$7.00
-57.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.81₱617
$9.64A$13.85
1.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.61₱290
$6.16A$8.84
-25.16%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.70₱484
$17.17A$24.66
-55.15%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31₱208
$2.80A$4.03
18.21%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45₱91.2
$2.80A$4.02
-48.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$2.07A$2.98
14.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.54₱96.6
$2.75A$3.95
-44.00%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$2.64A$3.79
-10.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99₱125
$2.11A$3.03
-5.69%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.15₱72.3
$2.06A$2.96
-44.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67₱42.26
$1.61A$2.31
-58.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$35.56A$51.1
-91.56%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.35₱399
$14.28A$20.52
-55.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31₱82.1
$3.46A$4.97
-62.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73₱109
$5.55A$7.97
-68.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Burnie
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.82
$1.88A$2.70
-86.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.65₱796
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.74₱46.44
$2.67A$3.83
-72.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.21₱13.15
$2.13A$3.05
-90.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.33₱272
$42.27A$60.7
-89.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33₱83.7
$1.29A$1.86
3.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K₱1.4M
$26.4KA$38.0K
-17.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K₱1.2M
$31.4KA$45.0K
-38.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Burnie
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$121₱7,583
$212A$304
-42.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45₱909
$20.99A$30.14
-31.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29₱1,779
$48.19A$69.2
-41.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Burnie
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.68₱2,055
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39₱402
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.46₱343
$14.01A$20.13
-61.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Burnie
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$273₱17.2K
$2,000A$2,873
-86.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,156₱512.9K
$20.8KA$29.9K
-60.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Burnie
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57₱3,117
$78.7A$113
-37.04%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87₱1,564
$24.16A$34.70
2.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.6₱4,817
$107A$153
-28.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3₱3,727
$92.8A$133
-36.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Burnie
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$506₱31.8K
$799A$1,148
-36.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.5K
$575A$826
-46.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,052₱66.1K
$1,128A$1,620
-6.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$619₱38.9K
$838A$1,203
-26.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,915₱183.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,867₱117.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Burnie
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$341₱21.5K
$5,051A$7,256
-93.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
5.6
28.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026
Last update for Burnie: October 6, 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%
Burnie
$575 35.2% ↑ 85.9%$266
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210 22.7%
Burnie
$331 20.2% ↑ 57.4%$121
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163 17.7%
Burnie
$281 17.2% ↑ 71.9%$117
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95 10.2%
Burnie
$136 8.3% ↑ 43.8%$41
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Burnie
$264 16.1% ↑ 198%$175
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.7%
Burnie
$28 * 1.7% ↓ 35.7%$16
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$15 1.7%
Burnie
$21 * 1.3% ↑ 34.9%$5.4
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$619 32.4%
Burnie
$838 25.5% ↑ 35.3%$219
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$493 25.8%
Burnie
$755 23% ↑ 53.2%$262
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$178 9.3%
Burnie
$302 9.2% ↑ 69.7%$124
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$210 11%
Burnie
$302 9.2% ↑ 43.8%$92
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$288 15.1%
Burnie
$993 30.2% ↑ 244%$704
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Burnie
$56 * 1.7% ↓ 40.1%$38
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$31 1.6%
Burnie
$45 * 1.4% ↑ 44.7%$14
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $799 in Burnie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Burnie pays 1381% 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 $91.0 in Burnie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $331 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 Burnie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burnie cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Burnie?
On paper, salaries run 1381% lower in Burnie. 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 Burnie?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $799 in Burnie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Cebu and in Burnie?
Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Burnie. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Burnie?
All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $1,614 in Burnie – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Burnie?
At $934 in Cebu versus $1,614 in Burnie, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Burnie. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Burnie more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Burnie, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Burnie?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Burnie 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 73% less than in Burnie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.