For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,484 in Derry, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 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 Derry actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $2,484 in Derry.
Cebu $918
Derry $2,484
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $3,000 in Derry.
Cebu $1,409
Derry $3,000
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $3,516 in Derry.
Cebu $1,900
Derry $3,516
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 63% less than in Derry, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Derry is 84% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Derry
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱195
$20.52€18.25
-84.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,525
$51.2€45.58
-52.73%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$9.39€8.35
-58.25%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$4.44€3.95
-43.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$1.64€1.46
-3.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.45
$1.63€1.45
-67.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$5.17€4.60
-65.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$6.68€5.94
-67.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Derry
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$1.48€1.31
29.73%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.5
$1.49€1.33
-8.72%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.6
$2.06€1.83
-50.97%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$3.40€3.02
-40.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$13.23€11.77
-25.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$10.04€8.93
-56.27%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$13.19€11.73
-42.38%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$2.93€2.61
12.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.8
$1.61€1.43
-13.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$3.03€2.70
-23.10%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.3
$4.15€3.69
-63.86%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$1.02€0.90
131.37%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$1.42€1.26
33.80%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$1.02€0.91
16.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.73
$1.85€1.65
-65.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$20.71€18.42
-85.51%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱380
$10.27€9.14
-41.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.7
$2.24€1.99
-45.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$2.62€2.33
-33.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Derry
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.87
$2.60€2.32
-90.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.64
$5.20€4.63
-85.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.54
$1.41€1.26
-83.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$56.0€49.77
-92.03%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$1.97€1.75
-33.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$38.6K€34.3K
-44.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$36.9K€32.8K
-48.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Derry
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,573
$243€216
-50.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱882
$21.14€18.80
-33.77%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,735
$50.5€44.90
-45.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Derry
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,036
$35.93€31.95
-10.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
$25.84€22.98
-74.26%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$13.02€11.58
-56.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Derry
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$1,196€1,064
-76.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.8K
$5,163€4,592
53.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Derry
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,107
$101€89.9
-51.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,590
$48.64€43.26
-48.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,848
$98.9€87.9
-22.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,603
$72.9€64.8
-21.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Derry
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$1,574€1,400
-68.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.5K
$1,335€1,187
-76.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$1,322€1,176
-18.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.8K
$1,085€965
-43.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.8K
$2,310€2,055
24.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.7K
$1,702€1,514
12.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Derry
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$2,599€2,312
-86.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
3.68
95.65%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Derry: October 12, 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%
Derry
$1.3K 53.8% ↑ 332%$1K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Derry
$307 12.4% ↑ 49.3%$102
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Derry
$314 12.7% ↑ 94.3%$153
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Derry
$145 5.8% ↑ 54%$51
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Derry
$298 12% ↑ 238%$210
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Derry
$62 2.5% ↑ 42%$18
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Derry
$23 * 0.9% ↑ 45.7%$7.1
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Derry
$1.1K 30.9% ↑ 76.4%$470
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Derry
$707 20.1% ↑ 46.5%$224
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Derry
$335 9.5% ↑ 90.8%$160
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Derry
$321 9.1% ↑ 54%$113
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Derry
$867 24.7% ↑ 197%$575
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Derry
$150 4.3% ↑ 59.5%$56
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Derry
$51 * 1.4% ↑ 59.8%$19
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 $1,574 in Derry. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Derry pays 651% 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 $51.0 in Derry for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $307 per month, with Cebu 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 Derry: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Derry cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 171% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Derry?
On paper, salaries run 651% lower in Derry. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Derry?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $1,574 in Derry. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Cebu and in Derry?
Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Derry. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Derry?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $2,484 in Derry – a 171% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Derry?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,484 in Derry, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Derry. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Derry more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Derry, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Derry?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Derry 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 171% less than in Derry. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.