Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Derna

For one person, living is cheaper in Derna: $171 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Derna

🇱🇾 Libya

$171

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Derna

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $171 in Derna.

Cebu $934
Derna $171

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $337 in Derna.

Cebu $1,415
Derna $337

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $503 in Derna.

Cebu $1,896
Derna $503

Living in Cebu is roughly 448% more expensive than in Derna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Derna 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$4.01 LYD 25.66

-24.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

$7.85 LYD 50.2

199.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$3.20 LYD 20.46

27.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 LYD 3.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.15

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$0.45 LYD 2.88

460.00%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$0.29 LYD 1.89

431.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$0.72 LYD 4.63

170.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$2.29 LYD 14.68

-55.46%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$0.93 LYD 5.95

121.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$3.15 LYD 20.18

46.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$0.75 LYD 4.82

93.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.96 LYD 6.14

145.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

$0.80 LYD 5.15

-7.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

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

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

$121 ₱7,563

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

$14.45 ₱907

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$14.23 LYD 91.1

98.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

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

$273 ₱17.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

$31.11 LYD 199

59.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

$39.65 LYD 254

-37.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

$38.36 LYD 245

99.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

$39.17 LYD 251

51.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$159 LYD 1,017

562.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

$95.5 LYD 611

548.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

$196 LYD 1,255

1386.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

$78.0 LYD 499

2295.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

$169 LYD 1,080

102.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Derna: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Derna

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Derna

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Derna

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Derna

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Derna

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Derna

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Derna

–

Cost Breakdown

Cebu pays 102% 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 $8.00 in Derna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $44.00 per month, with Derna cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇱🇾 Derna

🕒 Local time

15:27 3:27 PM

09:27 9:27 AM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

50,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Libyan Dinar LYD ل.د

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 LYD = 0.156 USD

1 LYD = 0.139 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LYD, 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).

Libyan Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 6.4 LYD (1 LYD = 0.156 USD). 1 EUR = 7.18 LYD (1 LYD = 0.139 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Derna 10,420 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Derna

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 Derna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Derna is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 448% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 102% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 375% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Derna – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $23.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Derna gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Derna 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 Derna 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 Derna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 448% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.