Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Chilanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Chilanga: $592 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Chilanga
Learn more

Chilanga Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Chilanga

🇿🇲 Zambia

$592

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Chilanga

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $592 in Chilanga.

Cebu $918
Chilanga $592

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $941 in Chilanga.

Cebu $1,409
Chilanga $941

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,290 in Chilanga.

Cebu $1,900
Chilanga $1,290

Living in Cebu is roughly 55% more expensive than in Chilanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Chilanga 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$5.68 ZMW 113

-45.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$30.64 ZMW 610

-20.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$5.00 ZMW 99.5

-21.60%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.86 ZMW 56.9

-12.24%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₱100

$0.80 ZMW 15.85

98.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.46 ZMW 9.21

15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.24 ZMW 24.63

43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$2.22 ZMW 44.19

-2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.72 ZMW 34.30

11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$1.23 ZMW 24.46

10.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$2.14 ZMW 42.58

-52.80%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$2.01 ZMW 39.92

1.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$10.58 ZMW 211

-6.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$6.27 ZMW 125

-29.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$6.61 ZMW 132

14.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$3.43 ZMW 68.3

-3.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$2.38 ZMW 47.42

-41.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$3.72 ZMW 74.0

-37.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$1.54 ZMW 30.59

-2.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$2.64 ZMW 52.5

-10.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$1.80 ZMW 35.83

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$1.11 ZMW 22.01

7.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.76 ZMW 15.11

-17.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$3.09 ZMW 61.4

-2.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$10.33 ZMW 205

-41.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.43 ZMW 28.40

-13.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.37 ZMW 47.15

-26.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$2.60 ZMW 51.8

-70.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$1.53 ZMW 30.51

-84.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$5.22 ZMW 104

-14.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.50 ZMW 29.91

-12.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$7,599 ZMW 151.1K

179.56%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$27.6K ZMW 549.7K

-30.73%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$120 ₱7,569

$82.5 ZMW 1,640

45.80%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.00 ₱882

$10.31 ZMW 205

35.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$54.4 ZMW 1,082

-49.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$6.23 ZMW 124

-9.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$275 ₱17.3K

$140 ZMW 2,786

96.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$16.6K ZMW 330.0K

-52.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$23.42 ZMW 466

110.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$15.73 ZMW 313

60.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$44.76 ZMW 890

71.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$72.9 ZMW 1,450

-21.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

-75.17%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chilanga: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Chilanga

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Chilanga

$241 40.7% 16.9% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Chilanga

$147 24.9% 9% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Chilanga

$71 11.9% 24.9% $23

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Chilanga

$110 18.7% 25.1% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Chilanga

$12 * 2.1% 71.4% $31

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Chilanga

$10 * 1.7% 34% $5.3

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $31.00 in Chilanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $241 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇿🇲 Chilanga

🕒 Local time

13:53 1:53 PM

07:53 7:53 AM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

107,051

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 19.89 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.03 USD). 1 EUR = 22.36 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Chilanga 10,910 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Chilanga

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 Chilanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chilanga is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and transport. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,377 in Cebu and $887 in Chilanga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $592 in Chilanga – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Chilanga gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Chilanga is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Chilanga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chilanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.