Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Goma

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $430 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 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

Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$430

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Goma

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $430 in Goma.

Cebu $918
Goma $430

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $751 in Goma.

Cebu $1,409
Goma $751

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,071 in Goma.

Cebu $1,900
Goma $1,071

Living in Cebu is roughly 114% more expensive than in Goma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Goma 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

-79.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$45.52 CDF 103.1K

-46.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

-61.53%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$3.51 CDF 7,960

-28.49%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$1.03 CDF 2,331

54.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$1.01 CDF 2,292

-47.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.19 CDF 2,685

49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

-56.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.98 CDF 2,211

95.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$1.22 CDF 2,758

-17.21%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.60 CDF 3,625

26.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$6.03 CDF 13.7K

63.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$2.57 CDF 5,814

70.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

51.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$1.97 CDF 4,470

67.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$1.52 CDF 3,448

53.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.51 CDF 1,165

362.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.69 CDF 1,552

-8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$2.02 CDF 4,567

-39.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.52 CDF 5,698

-30.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

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 ₱7,569

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

$14.00 ₱882

$14.71 CDF 33.3K

-4.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$60.4 CDF 136.9K

-54.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$30.38 CDF 68.8K

6.42%

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 ₱498.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

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 Goma: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Goma

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Goma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Goma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Goma

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Goma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Goma

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Goma

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $46.00 in Goma. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $108, with Goma cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇨🇩 Goma

🕒 Local time

17:26 5:26 PM

11:26 11:26 AM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

2,000,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Congolese Franc CDF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD

10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CDF, 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).

Congolese Franc exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2,265 CDF (10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD). 1 EUR = 2,547 CDF (10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Goma 10,550 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Goma

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 Goma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Goma is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,377 in Cebu and $645 in Goma 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 91% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Goma – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $24.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Goma gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Goma 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 Goma 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 Goma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.