For one person, living is cheaper in Cimahi: $559 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities 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 Cimahi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $559 in Cimahi.
Cebu $918
Cimahi $559
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $930 in Cimahi.
Cebu $1,409
Cimahi $930
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,300 in Cimahi.
Cebu $1,900
Cimahi $1,300
🌍
Living in Cebu is roughly 64% more expensive than in Cimahi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu32% lower, Cimahi59% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Cimahi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱194
$1.72Rp 30.9K
79.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,525
$14.10Rp 253.8K
71.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$3.28Rp 59.0K
19.51%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$1.47Rp 26.4K
70.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$0.46Rp 8,347
245.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.43
$0.24Rp 4,323
120.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$2.44Rp 44.0K
-27.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$3.08Rp 55.5K
-29.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Cimahi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$1.12Rp 20.2K
71.43%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.4
$0.98Rp 17.6K
38.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.5
$0.88Rp 15.9K
14.77%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$1.47Rp 26.5K
38.10%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$7.33Rp 131.9K
34.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$2.92Rp 52.6K
50.34%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$7.74Rp 139.3K
-1.81%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$2.29Rp 41.1K
44.10%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.8
$1.11Rp 19.9K
25.23%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$1.48Rp 26.7K
57.43%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.3
$0.88Rp 15.8K
70.45%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$1.05Rp 18.9K
124.76%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$1.97Rp 35.5K
-3.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$0.70Rp 12.6K
70.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.71
$0.40Rp 7,184
57.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$2.66Rp 47.8K
12.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱379
$20.89Rp 375.9K
-71.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.7
$1.91Rp 34.4K
-35.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$3.00Rp 54.1K
-41.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Cimahi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.86
$0.27Rp 4,899
-7.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.62
$0.54Rp 9,733
42.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.53
$0.32Rp 5,744
-28.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$2.34Rp 42.1K
90.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$0.88Rp 15.9K
48.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$21.0KRp 378.9M
0.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$29.1KRp 523.1M
-34.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Cimahi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,569
$33.78Rp 608.0K
255.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱882
$4.40Rp 79.2K
218.18%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,734
$19.12Rp 344.2K
44.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Cimahi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,035
$19.33Rp 348.0K
67.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
$9.05Rp 162.8K
-26.52%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$2.84Rp 51.1K
98.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Cimahi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$94.8Rp 1.7M
190.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.5K
$8,303Rp 149.5M
-4.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Cimahi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,106
$38.60Rp 694.9K
27.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,589
$28.40Rp 511.2K
-11.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,846
$72.5Rp 1.3M
6.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,601
$71.2Rp 1.3M
-19.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Cimahi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$214Rp 3.9M
133.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$126Rp 2.3M
145.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$512Rp 9.2M
110.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.7K
$357Rp 6.4M
72.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.7K
$1,102Rp 19.8M
161.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.7K
$819Rp 14.7M
134.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Cimahi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$254Rp 4.6M
36.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
9.46
-23.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Cimahi: October 13, 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%
Cimahi
$126 22.5% ↓ 59.3%$183
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Cimahi
$191 34.1% ↓ 7.4%$15
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Cimahi
$57 10.3% ↓ 64.6%$104
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Cimahi
$95 17% ↑ 0.9%$0.9
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Cimahi
$62 11.2% ↓ 29.3%$26
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Cimahi
$25 4.5% ↓ 42.7%$19
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Cimahi
$3.2 * 0.6% ↓ 79.3%$12
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Cimahi
$357 27.5% ↓ 42%$258
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Cimahi
$415 32% ↓ 14%$67
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Cimahi
$62 4.8% ↓ 64.9%$114
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Cimahi
$211 16.2% ↑ 0.9%$2
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Cimahi
$189 14.6% ↓ 35.2%$103
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Cimahi
$59 4.5% ↓ 37.1%$35
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Cimahi
$7 * 0.5% ↓ 77.9%$25
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 $500 in Cebu and $214 in Cimahi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cebu pays 36% 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 $14.00 in Cimahi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $191 per month, with Cimahi 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 Cimahi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cimahi cheaper than Cebu?
Cimahi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Cimahi?
Average pay runs 36% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Cimahi?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $214 in Cimahi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Cebu and in Cimahi?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Cimahi?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $559 in Cimahi – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $800 enough for either Cebu or Cimahi?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Cimahi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Cebu or Cimahi more family-friendly?
For families, Cimahi 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.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Cimahi?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Cimahi 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 Cimahi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.