Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Cuiaba Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Cuiaba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $931 in Cebu versus $1,059 in Cuiaba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,439 in Cebu versus $1,577 in Cuiaba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,947 in Cebu versus $2,094 in Cuiaba.

Living in Cebu costs roughly 12% less than in Cuiaba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Cuiaba 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ₱191

$4.83 R$24.87

-36.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.09 ₱1,448

$33.73 R$174

-31.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.03 ₱253

$7.81 R$40.22

-48.40%

Cappuccino

$2.58 ₱162

$1.73 R$8.93

49.13%

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

$1.53 ₱95.9

$1.29 R$6.64

18.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.31

$0.63 R$3.27

-15.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 ₱107

$1.90 R$9.78

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₱143

$2.56 R$13.21

-11.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₱118

$1.15 R$5.93

62.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ₱84.0

$1.63 R$8.40

-17.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.1

$1.78 R$9.15

-42.70%

Eggs

$1.96 ₱123

$3.07 R$15.81

-36.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ₱623

$16.90 R$87.1

-41.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 ₱287

$4.48 R$23.08

2.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 ₱467

$10.92 R$56.3

-31.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱217

$2.31 R$11.92

49.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

$2.44 R$12.57

-40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₱150

$2.43 R$12.53

-1.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.4

$2.98 R$15.34

-47.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$2.57 R$13.26

-10.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ₱118

$2.09 R$10.77

-10.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱77.1

$1.58 R$8.13

-22.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱39.10

$1.41 R$7.25

-56.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 ₱189

$2.26 R$11.65

33.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.13 ₱385

$11.29 R$58.2

-45.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱81.1

$1.98 R$10.21

-34.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₱107

$3.13 R$16.13

-45.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.71

$1.01 R$5.20

-75.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.35 ₱775

$37.89 R$195

-67.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.72

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 ₱276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.1

$1.20 R$6.19

9.17%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$30.0K R$154.5K

-27.95%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$32.7K R$168.3K

-40.86%

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

$122 ₱7,681

$175 R$900

-29.93%

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

$15.08 ₱946

$18.91 R$97.4

-20.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.10 ₱1,762

$25.33 R$131

10.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.67 ₱1,987

$25.43 R$131

24.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱417

$19.57 R$101

-66.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱339

$5.83 R$30.01

-7.38%

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

$278 ₱17.5K

$431 R$2,221

-35.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,849 ₱492.3K

$9,470 R$48.8K

-17.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 ₱3,023

$75.8 R$390

-36.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 ₱1,588

$49.48 R$255

-48.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 ₱4,782

$149 R$768

-48.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 ₱3,643

$67.3 R$347

-13.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 ₱30.7K

$325 R$1,673

50.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱19.3K

$220 R$1,132

39.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₱67.4K

$652 R$3,358

64.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ₱39.9K

$353 R$1,821

79.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 ₱180.0K

$1,339 R$6,896

114.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,912 ₱119.9K

$771 R$3,974

147.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$335 ₱21.0K

$396 R$2,038

-15.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

16.1

-55.28%

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

Last update for Cebu: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cuiaba: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $489 in Cebu and $325 in Cuiaba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cuiaba pays 18% 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 $34.00 in Cuiaba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $278 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

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 Cuiaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Cuiaba. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $489 in Cebu versus $325 in Cuiaba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $931 per month in Cebu versus $1,059 in Cuiaba – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 207% less than in Cuiaba. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

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

Safety-wise, Cebu and Cuiaba 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Cuiaba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.