Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Cotonou

For one person, living costs are similar in Cebu and in Cotonou: $934 and $901 a month, rent and utilities included.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Cotonou
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Cotonou Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Cotonou

🇧🇯 Benin

$901

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Cotonou

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $901 in Cotonou.

Cebu $934
Cotonou $901

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $1,417 in Cotonou.

Cebu $1,415
Cotonou $1,417

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $1,933 in Cotonou.

Cebu $1,896
Cotonou $1,933

Living in Cebu is roughly 4% more expensive than in Cotonou, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Cotonou 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$5.05 F CFA 2,954

-40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

$35.47 F CFA 20.8K

-33.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$9.56 F CFA 5,592

-57.22%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$5.21 F CFA 3,051

-51.63%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$1.06 F CFA 619

45.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$0.89 F CFA 521

-44.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$0.84 F CFA 490

113.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$2.56 F CFA 1,497

-11.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$3.07 F CFA 1,793

-36.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$1.19 F CFA 695

20.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$1.83 F CFA 1,070

-44.26%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$2.69 F CFA 1,576

-23.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$9.19 F CFA 5,375

6.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$5.44 F CFA 3,180

-15.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$5.04 F CFA 2,946

52.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$4.05 F CFA 2,372

-18.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$1.84 F CFA 1,074

-21.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.28 F CFA 750

84.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$2.73 F CFA 1,595

-43.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.26 F CFA 736

87.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.74 F CFA 1,021

14.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$0.44 F CFA 256

161.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$1.10 F CFA 641

-39.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$3.48 F CFA 2,037

-13.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$4.18 F CFA 2,444

51.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$1.23 F CFA 718

6.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.91 F CFA 1,116

-9.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$1.29 F CFA 757

-80.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

$1.34 F CFA 782

-44.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

$1.38 F CFA 809

-84.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$1.24 F CFA 727

7.26%

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

$24.0K F CFA 14.1M

-19.33%

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

$121 ₱7,563

$146 F CFA 85.4K

-17.40%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$33.86 F CFA 19.8K

-57.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$49.15 F CFA 28.8K

-42.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$49.30 F CFA 28.8K

-33.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

$3.44 F CFA 2,015

85.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$8.68 F CFA 5,079

-37.10%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$131 F CFA 76.5K

109.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

$5,460 F CFA 3.2M

49.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

$25.96 F CFA 15.2K

90.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

$33.73 F CFA 19.7K

127.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

$67.9 F CFA 39.7K

-12.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

$180 F CFA 105.6K

180.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$165 F CFA 96.6K

87.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$599 F CFA 350.7K

75.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

$411 F CFA 240.7K

50.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

$258 F CFA 151.0K

32.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

80.00%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Cotonou

$165 18.3% 46.7% $144

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Cotonou

$221 24.5% 5% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Cotonou

$229 25.4% 40.2% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Cotonou

$57 * 6.4% 39.3% $37

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Cotonou

$149 16.5% 68.3% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Cotonou

$67 7.4% 52.9% $23

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Cotonou

$13 * 1.5% 13.1% $2

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 $180 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 32% 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 $35.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $221 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇧🇯 Cotonou

🕒 Local time

14:15 2:15 PM

07:15 7:15 AM

7 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

780,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

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).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Cotonou 13,280 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Cotonou

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 Cotonou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in clothing and transport. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $180 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $901 in Cotonou – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cotonou gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Cotonou 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 Cotonou 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 Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.