Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Gulu

For one person, living is cheaper in Gulu: $117 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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

$934

/mo nomad

Gulu

🇺🇬 Uganda

$117

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Gulu

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $117 in Gulu.

Cebu $934
Gulu $117

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $170 in Gulu.

Cebu $1,415
Gulu $170

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $223 in Gulu.

Cebu $1,896
Gulu $223

Living in Cebu is roughly 697% more expensive than in Gulu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Gulu 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$1.26 UGX 5,091

140.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$10.98 UGX 44.4K

-62.75%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$2.44 UGX 9,864

3.28%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$0.24 UGX 964

541.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$0.13 UGX 522

276.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$0.77 UGX 3,107

132.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$2.53 UGX 10.2K

-10.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$0.98 UGX 3,975

-74.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

$30.35 UGX 122.8K

-58.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$1.23 UGX 4,990

8.13%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

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

$121 ₱7,563

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

$14.45 ₱907

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

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

$273 ₱17.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

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 5, 2026

Last update for Gulu: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Gulu

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Gulu

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Gulu

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Gulu

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Gulu

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Gulu

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Gulu

–

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇺🇬 Gulu

🕒 Local time

16:27 4:27 PM

11:27 11:27 AM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

152,276

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

10,000 UGX = 2.47 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UGX, 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).

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4,045 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.47 USD). 1 EUR = 4,537 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.2 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Gulu 10,130 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Gulu

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 Gulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gulu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 697% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,401 in Cebu and $176 in Gulu 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.

A monthly transit pass in Gulu runs roughly 140% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $117 in Gulu – a 697% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Gulu 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 Gulu 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 Gulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 697% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.