Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Gothenburg

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,042 in Gothenburg, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Gothenburg
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Gothenburg Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Gothenburg

🇸🇪 Sweden

$2,042

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Gothenburg

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $2,042 in Gothenburg.

Cebu $934
Gothenburg $2,042

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $3,064 in Gothenburg.

Cebu $1,415
Gothenburg $3,064

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $4,086 in Gothenburg.

Cebu $1,896
Gothenburg $4,086

Living in Cebu costs roughly 54% less than in Gothenburg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Gothenburg is 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$12.84 SEK 128

-76.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

$83.5 SEK 834

-71.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$12.20 SEK 122

-66.48%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$4.81 SEK 48.09

-47.61%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$2.81 SEK 28.09

-45.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$2.25 SEK 22.46

-78.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$7.07 SEK 70.7

-74.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$7.29 SEK 72.8

-69.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.65 SEK 16.48

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$2.81 SEK 28.12

-49.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$3.23 SEK 32.25

-68.42%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$3.75 SEK 37.44

-45.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$11.21 SEK 112

-12.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$11.49 SEK 115

-59.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$16.27 SEK 163

-52.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$2.99 SEK 29.85

10.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$2.50 SEK 24.98

-42.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.98 SEK 29.79

-20.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$4.33 SEK 43.27

-64.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.80 SEK 18.03

31.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.69 SEK 16.86

17.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$1.97 SEK 19.66

-41.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$1.57 SEK 15.74

-57.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$8.17 SEK 81.6

-63.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$14.70 SEK 147

-56.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$1.99 SEK 19.88

-34.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$2.24 SEK 22.41

-22.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$3.59 SEK 35.89

-93.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

$86.4 SEK 863

-85.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

$6.03 SEK 60.2

-87.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

$1.64 SEK 16.43

-87.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

$58.9 SEK 588

-92.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$1.72 SEK 17.24

-22.67%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$32.4K SEK 323.7K

-32.81%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$33.4K SEK 333.7K

-41.90%

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

$121 ₱7,563

$101 SEK 1,012

19.02%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$19.36 SEK 193

-25.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$33.87 SEK 338

-16.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$34.60 SEK 346

-5.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

$24.33 SEK 243

-73.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$18.36 SEK 183

-70.26%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$223 SEK 2,229

22.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

$4,448 SEK 44.5K

83.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

$87.0 SEK 869

-42.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

$33.02 SEK 330

-24.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

$85.8 SEK 857

-10.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

$132 SEK 1,323

-55.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

$1,035 SEK 10.3K

-51.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$928 SEK 9,273

-66.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$1,768 SEK 17.7K

-40.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

$1,386 SEK 13.8K

-55.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

$6,117 SEK 61.1K

-52.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

$3,377 SEK 33.8K

-44.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

$3,444 SEK 34.4K

-90.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

3.06

135.29%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Gothenburg

$928 45.4% 200% $618

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Gothenburg

$355 17.4% 68.9% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Gothenburg

$155 7.6% 5.4% $8.8

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Gothenburg

$152 7.4% 60.8% $58

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Gothenburg

$267 13.1% 202% $179

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Gothenburg

$71 3.5% 63.6% $28

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Gothenburg

$115 5.6% 645% $100

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $1,035 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 910% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $83.0 in Gothenburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $355 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇸🇪 Gothenburg

🕒 Local time

13:46 1:46 PM

07:46 7:46 AM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

607,882

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

100 SEK = 10.01 USD

100 SEK = 8.92 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.99 SEK (1 SEK = 0.1 USD). 1 EUR = 11.21 SEK (100 SEK = 8.92 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Gothenburg 10,300 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Gothenburg

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 Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 119% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 910% lower in Gothenburg. 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: $506 in Cebu versus $1,035 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $2,042 in Gothenburg – a 119% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 583% less than in Gothenburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Cebu versus $2,042 in Gothenburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. 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 Gothenburg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Gothenburg 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 119% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.