For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,646 in Cesena, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Cesena actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,646 in Cesena.
Cebu $918
Cesena $1,646
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $2,537 in Cesena.
Cebu $1,409
Cesena $2,537
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $3,428 in Cesena.
Cebu $1,900
Cesena $3,428
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 44% less than in Cesena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Cesena is 22% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Cesena
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱194
$16.83€14.97
-81.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,525
$89.5€79.6
-72.94%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$12.22€10.87
-67.92%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$2.21€1.96
13.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$2.72€2.42
-41.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.43
$1.09€0.97
-51.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$6.04€5.37
-70.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$5.10€4.53
-57.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Cesena
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$1.35€1.20
42.22%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.4
$1.36€1.21
-
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.5
$1.97€1.75
-48.73%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$2.77€2.47
-26.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$17.63€15.68
-44.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$11.91€10.60
-63.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$17.03€15.15
-55.37%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$1.93€1.72
70.98%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.8
$2.47€2.20
-43.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$2.39€2.12
-2.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.3
$3.99€3.55
-62.41%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$1.60€1.43
47.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$1.65€1.47
15.15%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$1.87€1.67
-36.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.71
$0.34€0.30
85.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$6.52€5.80
-53.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱379
$6.79€6.04
-11.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.7
$1.22€1.09
0.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$1.72€1.53
1.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Cesena
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.86
$2.17€1.93
-88.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
$38.55€34.29
-67.21%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.62
$8.20€7.30
-90.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.53
$1.98€1.76
-88.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$33.88€30.13
-86.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$2.03€1.81
-35.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$36.5K€32.5K
-41.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$34.9K€31.0K
-45.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Cesena
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,569
$189€168
-36.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱882
$9.75€8.67
43.59%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,734
$30.74€27.34
-10.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Cesena
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,035
$50.8€45.16
-36.32%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
$14.22€12.65
-53.23%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$9.99€8.89
-43.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Cesena
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$537€478
-48.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.5K
$9,900€8,806
-20.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Cesena
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,106
$90.7€80.7
-45.62%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,589
$36.93€32.85
-31.65%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,846
$82.4€73.3
-6.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,601
$78.7€70.0
-27.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Cesena
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$660€587
-24.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$591€525
-47.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$1,174€1,045
-8.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.7K
$925€823
-33.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.7K
$2,953€2,627
-2.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.7K
$2,583€2,298
-25.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Cesena
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$1,750€1,557
-80.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
3.3
118.18%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Cesena: October 10, 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 33.6%
Cesena
$591 35.9% ↑ 91.2%$282
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Cesena
$306 18.6% ↑ 48.9%$101
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Cesena
$229 13.9% ↑ 41.8%$68
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Cesena
$130 7.9% ↑ 38.3%$36
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Cesena
$253 15.4% ↑ 187%$165
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Cesena
$71 4.3% ↑ 62.2%$27
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Cesena
$65 4% ↑ 320%$50
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Cesena
$925 27% ↑ 50.4%$310
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Cesena
$728 21.2% ↑ 50.8%$245
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Cesena
$239 7% ↑ 36%$63
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Cesena
$289 8.4% ↑ 38.3%$80
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Cesena
$956 27.9% ↑ 227%$664
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Cesena
$156 4.5% ↑ 65.9%$62
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Cesena
$135 3.9% ↑ 327%$103
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $660 in Cesena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cesena pays 406% 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 $89.0 in Cesena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $306 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 Cesena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cesena cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Cesena?
On paper, salaries run 406% lower in Cesena. 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 Cesena?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $660 in Cesena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Cesena?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $1,646 in Cesena – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 205% less than in Cesena. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Cesena?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,646 in Cesena, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Cesena. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Cesena more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cesena, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Cesena?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Cesena 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 79% less than in Cesena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.