Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Castel

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,406 in Castel, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
Castel
🇬🇬 Guernsey
$2,406
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Castel

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

A single person spends $934 per month in Cebu vs $2,406 in Castel, rent included.

  • Cebu $934
  • Castel $2,406

A couple spends around $1,415 per month in Cebu vs $3,787 in Castel, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,415
  • Castel $3,787

A family of three spends $1,896 per month in Cebu vs $5,167 in Castel, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,896
  • Castel $5,167

Cebu is about 61% cheaper than Castel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Cebu sits 30% below the global median, while Castel is 80% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Castel
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03 ₱190
$39.85 GGP 30.16
-92.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48 ₱1,473
$80.5 GGP 60.9
-70.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.09 ₱256
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.52 ₱158
$5.05 GGP 3.82
-50.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₱96.9
$3.23 GGP 2.45
-52.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₱30.98
$3.93 GGP 2.98
-87.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.79 ₱112
$4.32 GGP 3.27
-58.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 ₱142
$6.53 GGP 4.94
-65.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Castel
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ₱122
$1.95 GGP 1.47
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ₱89.7
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.02 ₱63.8
-
-
Eggs
$2.06 ₱129
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.81 ₱615
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.61 ₱289
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.70 ₱483
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 ₱207
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 ₱90.9
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 ₱148
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 ₱96.4
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱148
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 ₱125
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 ₱72.1
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 ₱42.15
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱188
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.35 ₱398
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₱81.9
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 ₱108
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Castel
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.78
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.65 ₱793
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.74 ₱46.32
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.21 ₱13.11
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.33 ₱271
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 ₱83.5
$2.18 GGP 1.65
-38.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₱1.4M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K ₱1.2M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Castel
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$121 ₱7,563
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45 ₱907
$26.18 GGP 19.82
-44.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29 ₱1,774
$67.3 GGP 50.9
-57.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Castel
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.68 ₱2,050
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39 ₱401
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.46 ₱342
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Castel
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$273 ₱17.1K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,156 ₱511.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Castel
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57 ₱3,109
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87 ₱1,560
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.6 ₱4,804
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3 ₱3,717
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Castel
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$506 ₱31.7K
$1,986 GGP 1,503
-74.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$1,844 GGP 1,396
-83.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,052 ₱66.0K
$4,012 GGP 3,037
-73.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$619 ₱38.8K
$3,740 GGP 2,831
-83.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,915 ₱182.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,867 ₱117.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Castel
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$341 ₱21.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
0
-

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Castel: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Castel
–
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210
Castel
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163
Castel
–
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95
Castel
–
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Castel
–
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Castel
–
Getting Around
Cebu
$15
Castel
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Cebu versus $1,986 in Castel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Cebu versus $80.0 in Castel. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Cebu vs $19.00 in Castel – so Castel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇬🇬 Castel
🕒 Local time
16:23 4:23 PM
09:23 9:23 AM
7 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
8,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GGP, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Guernsey Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.757 GGP (1 GGP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.849 GGP (1 GGP = 1.18 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Castel 11,580 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Castel

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 Castel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Castel cheaper than Cebu?
Yes – Castel is pricier by about 158%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,401 per month in Cebu and $3,609 in Castel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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 food prices compare in Cebu and in Castel?
Interestingly, groceries are about 982% cheaper in Castel – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Cebu or in Castel?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Cebu and $80.0 in Castel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Castel?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cebu, where all-in costs run around $934, than in Castel at $2,406. In Cebu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cebu or Castel more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cebu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Castel?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cebu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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