Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Garissa

For one person, living is cheaper in Garissa: $381 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 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

$918

/mo nomad

Garissa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$381

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Garissa

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $381 in Garissa.

Cebu $918
Garissa $381

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $667 in Garissa.

Cebu $1,409
Garissa $667

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $952 in Garissa.

Cebu $1,900
Garissa $952

Living in Cebu is roughly 141% more expensive than in Garissa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Garissa 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱195

$11.79 KES 1,528

-73.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$23.02 KES 2,984

5.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$7.73 KES 1,002

-67.53%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$1.88 KES 244

-15.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.45

$1.13 KES 147

-53.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.52 KES 66.9

269.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.5

$0.59 KES 76.9

130.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$1.47 KES 191

-31.29%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.92 KES 249

5.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$6.10 KES 791

-28.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$5.39 KES 698

41.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$3.78 KES 490

-12.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$3.11 KES 403

-55.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$4.69 KES 608

-50.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$0.79 KES 102

89.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$1.22 KES 158

93.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$1.57 KES 204

21.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$2.37 KES 307

-49.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.73

$0.56 KES 72.3

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱380

$5.71 KES 741

5.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.67 KES 217

-26.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$3.82 KES 496

-54.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.64

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

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

$120 ₱7,573

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

$14.00 ₱882

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,735

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,036

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

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

$275 ₱17.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,107

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,590

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,848

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,603

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$129 KES 16.8K

167.62%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Garissa: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Garissa

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Garissa

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Garissa

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Garissa

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Garissa

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Garissa

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Garissa

–

Cost Breakdown

Cebu pays 168% 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 $23.00 in Garissa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $182 per month, with Garissa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇰🇪 Garissa

🕒 Local time

00:23 12:23 AM

19:23 7:23 PM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

119,696

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Garissa 9,390 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Garissa

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 Garissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Garissa is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 141% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 168% 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 13% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Garissa – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $24.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Garissa 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 Garissa 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 Garissa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.