Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Elmina

For one person, living is cheaper in Elmina: $668 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Elmina
Learn more

Elmina Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Elmina

🇬🇭 Ghana

$668

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Elmina

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $668 in Elmina.

Cebu $918
Elmina $668

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,125 in Elmina.

Cebu $1,409
Elmina $1,125

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,582 in Elmina.

Cebu $1,900
Elmina $1,582

Living in Cebu is roughly 37% more expensive than in Elmina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Elmina 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$7.82 GHS 90.8

-60.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,524

$50.8 GHS 590

-52.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱246

$10.26 GHS 119

-61.79%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$4.46 GHS 51.7

-43.72%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$1.53 GHS 17.80

3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.42

$0.44 GHS 5.11

20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.81 GHS 20.98

-1.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$2.17 GHS 25.12

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$3.67 GHS 42.57

-47.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$1.67 GHS 19.32

-18.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$3.06 GHS 35.54

-66.99%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$2.68 GHS 31.13

-24.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$12.03 GHS 140

-18.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱276

$7.08 GHS 82.1

-37.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱478

$9.62 GHS 112

-21.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$3.61 GHS 41.82

-8.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.7

$1.40 GHS 16.28

-0.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$1.77 GHS 20.53

31.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.2

$3.56 GHS 41.34

-57.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$2.69 GHS 31.21

-12.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$2.65 GHS 30.74

-28.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.72 GHS 8.32

65.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.69

$0.60 GHS 7.01

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$2.51 GHS 29.12

19.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$7.06 GHS 81.9

-14.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.6

$1.21 GHS 14.07

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.33 GHS 27.07

-24.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.85

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.59

$1.74 GHS 20.24

-55.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.52

$1.26 GHS 14.61

-81.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱280

$4.30 GHS 49.87

3.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.34 GHS 15.54

-2.24%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$7,913 GHS 91.8K

168.45%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$9,662 GHS 112.1K

98.17%

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

$120 ₱7,566

$73.7 GHS 855

63.13%

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

$14.00 ₱881

$19.07 GHS 221

-26.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,733

$42.25 GHS 490

-34.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱418

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱355

$12.66 GHS 147

-55.37%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$470 GHS 5,450

-41.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.3K

$18.6K GHS 216.0K

-57.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,105

$14.18 GHS 164

247.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$18.59 GHS 216

35.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,844

$36.74 GHS 426

109.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,600

$52.0 GHS 603

9.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

26.75

-73.08%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Elmina: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Elmina

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Elmina

$276 41.4% 34.2% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Elmina

$135 20.2% 16.5% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Elmina

$55 8.2% 41.8% $39

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Elmina

$168 25.2% 90.6% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Elmina

$25 * 3.8% 42% $18

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Elmina

$8 * 1.2% 48.4% $7.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $51.0 in Elmina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $276 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇬🇭 Elmina

🕒 Local time

20:53 8:53 PM

12:53 12:53 PM

8 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

34,403

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Ghanaian Cedi GHS ₵

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

100 GHS = 8.62 USD

100 GHS = 7.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GHS, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 62.93 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.59 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Ghanaian Cedi exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 11.6 GHS (100 GHS = 8.62 USD). 1 EUR = 13.01 GHS (100 GHS = 7.69 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Elmina 13,720 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Elmina

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 Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Elmina is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and transport. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,377 in Cebu and $1,001 in Elmina to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $668 in Elmina – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Elmina 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 Elmina 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 Elmina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.