Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Duhok

For one person, living is cheaper in Duhok: $602 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Duhok
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Duhok Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Duhok

🇮🇶 Iraq

$602

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Duhok

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $602 in Duhok.

Cebu $918
Duhok $602

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $968 in Duhok.

Cebu $1,409
Duhok $968

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,334 in Duhok.

Cebu $1,900
Duhok $1,334

Living in Cebu is roughly 52% more expensive than in Duhok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Duhok 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$3.35 IQD 5,069

-7.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$16.55 IQD 25.0K

46.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$7.04 IQD 10.6K

-44.32%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.32 IQD 3,511

8.19%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.34 IQD 517

367.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.15 IQD 229

253.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.61 IQD 2,430

10.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$1.94 IQD 2,930

11.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.11 IQD 1,680

72.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.67 IQD 1,017

102.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$1.50 IQD 2,262

-32.67%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.58 IQD 2,385

28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$5.03 IQD 7,594

96.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$2.95 IQD 4,460

48.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$10.83 IQD 16.4K

-29.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$0.96 IQD 1,453

243.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$1.00 IQD 1,506

39.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$0.73 IQD 1,109

219.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$0.68 IQD 1,028

120.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.59 IQD 894

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.63 IQD 948

201.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.61 IQD 926

95.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.48 IQD 719

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$1.74 IQD 2,630

72.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$10.58 IQD 16.0K

-43.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.46 IQD 2,200

-15.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.82 IQD 2,749

-3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$0.32 IQD 486

-21.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$15.69 IQD 23.7K

-19.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$1.69 IQD 2,555

-54.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$1.28 IQD 1,930

-82.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$5.62 IQD 8,491

-20.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$0.59 IQD 884

122.03%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$16.5K IQD 24.9M

28.74%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$17.0K IQD 25.7M

12.71%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$85.5 IQD 129.1K

40.67%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$8.81 IQD 13.3K

58.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$24.12 IQD 36.4K

14.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$49.83 IQD 75.3K

-35.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$26.66 IQD 40.3K

-75.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$7.55 IQD 11.4K

-25.17%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$108 IQD 163.9K

153.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$2,793 IQD 4.2M

183.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$10.25 IQD 15.5K

381.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$19.62 IQD 29.6K

28.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$29.73 IQD 44.9K

158.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$19.93 IQD 30.1K

187.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$161 IQD 243.5K

209.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$115 IQD 174.0K

168.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$329 IQD 497.2K

227.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$318 IQD 480.4K

93.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$430 IQD 649.7K

571.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$362 IQD 547.5K

428.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$421 IQD 635.5K

-17.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

2.53

184.58%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Duhok: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Duhok

$115 19.1% 62.7% $194

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Duhok

$153 25.4% 25.7% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Duhok

$118 19.7% 26.8% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Duhok

$36 6% 61.9% $58

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Duhok

$90 14.9% 1.7% $1.5

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Duhok

$65 10.8% 48.9% $21

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Duhok

$25 4.2% 60.9% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $161 in Duhok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duhok pays 22% 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 $17.00 in Duhok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $153 per month, with Duhok cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇮🇶 Duhok

🕒 Local time

03:18 3:18 AM

22:18 10:18 PM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

340,900

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Duhok 8,520 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Duhok

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 Duhok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duhok is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and utilities. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Duhok. 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: $500 in Cebu versus $161 in Duhok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $602 in Duhok – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Duhok runs roughly 24% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Duhok gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Duhok 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 Duhok 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 Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.