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: $873 in Cebu versus $816 in Cuiaba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $1,252 in Cuiaba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $1,689 in Cuiaba.

Living in Cebu is roughly 7% more expensive than Cuiaba, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Cuiaba 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$3.54 R$17.73

22.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$17.96 R$89.9

34.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$6.08 R$30.44

-28.29%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$1.62 R$8.09

58.64%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.96 R$4.82

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$0.61 R$3.07

-29.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.24 R$6.23

23.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.19 R$10.94

-3.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.06 R$5.32

108.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$1.51 R$7.57

-0.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$1.67 R$8.34

-33.53%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$3.20 R$16.02

-27.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$11.24 R$56.3

15.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$4.45 R$22.25

20.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$10.13 R$50.7

-25.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$2.16 R$10.79

65.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.70 R$8.49

-14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$1.78 R$8.89

90.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$2.26 R$11.31

-3.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.09 R$10.47

23.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$1.59 R$7.97

55.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$0.68 R$3.42

35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$1.27 R$6.37

-37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$2.08 R$10.39

49.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$10.17 R$50.9

-35.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.76 R$8.82

-31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.24 R$11.20

3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$0.88 R$4.41

-68.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

$38.75 R$194

-61.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$1.05 R$5.27

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.74 R$3.73

-66.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$6.22 R$31.15

-56.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.00 R$5.00

9.00%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$21.0K R$105.3K

43.07%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$27.7K R$138.7K

-2.60%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$61.3 R$307

55.59%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$18.30 R$91.6

84.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$23.56 R$118

26.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$22.56 R$113

45.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$19.91 R$99.7

-57.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$4.37 R$21.85

33.64%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$248 R$1,242

-6.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$5,108 R$25.6K

-23.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$50.6 R$253

5.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$45.86 R$230

-50.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$137 R$688

-44.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$62.7 R$314

-13.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$285 R$1,429

80.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$192 R$962

8.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$564 R$2,823

42.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$316 R$1,581

25.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$1,279 R$6,398

131.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$800 R$4,003

140.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$426 R$2,131

-14.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

-56.76%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cuiaba: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $285 in Cuiaba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cuiaba pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $18.00 in Cuiaba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $232 per month, with Cuiaba 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

Cuiaba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cuiaba earns 17% less. 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: $515 in Cebu versus $285 in Cuiaba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $873 per month in Cebu versus $816 in Cuiaba – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cuiaba runs roughly 158% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $816 in Cuiaba versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cuiaba but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Cuiaba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cuiaba 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 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 Cuiaba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.