Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and George

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,105 in George, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in George
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George Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

George

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,105

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in George

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,105 in George.

Cebu $918
George $1,105

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,834 in George.

Cebu $1,409
George $1,834

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $2,563 in George.

Cebu $1,900
George $2,563

Living in Cebu costs roughly 17% less than in George, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, George 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$10.87 R 179

-71.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$41.26 R 680

-41.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$4.81 R 79.3

-18.50%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.10 R 34.66

19.52%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$1.06 R 17.47

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.77 R 12.63

-31.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.72 R 44.76

-34.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$3.20 R 52.8

-32.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.13 R 18.55

69.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$1.04 R 17.20

30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$1.43 R 23.63

-29.37%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$2.80 R 46.05

-27.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$8.36 R 138

17.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$5.45 R 89.8

-19.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$6.66 R 110

14.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$1.61 R 26.49

104.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$1.47 R 24.19

-5.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$1.54 R 25.33

51.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$1.73 R 28.44

-13.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$1.63 R 26.89

44.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$1.42 R 23.41

33.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$1.25 R 20.53

-4.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.97 R 15.99

-35.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$3.18 R 52.4

-5.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$4.72 R 77.8

27.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.22 R 20.09

0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.73 R 28.48

1.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$1.54 R 25.37

-83.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$27.77 R 457

-54.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$0.58 R 9.50

32.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.47 R 7.67

-51.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$8.38 R 138

-46.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.22 R 20.03

7.38%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$29.7K R 488.9K

-28.41%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$29.4K R 483.7K

-34.78%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$121 R 1,995

-0.69%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$17.44 R 287

-19.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$45.19 R 745

-39.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$29.75 R 490

8.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$10.64 R 175

-37.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$6.08 R 100

-7.07%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$137 R 2,263

100.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$5,187 R 85.5K

52.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$71.5 R 1,177

-30.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$37.94 R 625

-33.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$112 R 1,845

-31.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$85.8 R 1,413

-33.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$422 R 6,956

18.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$365 R 6,010

-15.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$773 R 12.7K

39.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$929 R 15.3K

-33.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$871 R 14.4K

231.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$652 R 10.7K

193.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$1,364 R 22.5K

-74.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

10.92

-34.07%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for George: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

George

$365 33% 18.1% $56

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

George

$186 16.8% 9.7% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

George

$184 16.6% 13.6% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

George

$138 12.5% 47.2% $44

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

George

$154 13.9% 74.5% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

George

$42 3.8% 3.9% $1.7

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

George

$37 3.3% 137% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $422 in George. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George pays 294% 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 $41.00 in George. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $186, with George cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇿🇦 George

🕒 Local time

19:44 7:44 PM

13:44 1:44 PM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

188,580

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu George 11,690 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
George

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 George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, eating out, and utilities. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 294% lower in George. 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 $422 in George. 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 $1,105 in George – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 120% less than in George. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $918 in Cebu versus $1,105 in George, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in George. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in George, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and George 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in George. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.