Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Harare

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,025 in Harare, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. The total is higher in Harare despite lower rent and utilities.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Harare
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Harare Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Harare

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

$1,025

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Harare

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,025 in Harare.

Cebu $934
Harare $1,025

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $1,682 in Harare.

Cebu $1,415
Harare $1,682

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $2,339 in Harare.

Cebu $1,896
Harare $2,339

Living in Cebu costs roughly 9% less than in Harare, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Harare 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱191

$10.12 ZWL 270

-70.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,476

$45.29 ZWL 1,210

-48.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱257

$5.60 ZWL 150

-26.96%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$3.01 ZWL 80.4

-16.28%

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

$1.54 ₱97.2

$0.97 ZWL 26.04

58.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.06

$0.45 ZWL 12.07

8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱113

$1.22 ZWL 32.56

46.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$1.95 ZWL 52.2

15.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.47 ZWL 39.29

32.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.9

$1.02 ZWL 27.29

40.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$1.71 ZWL 45.80

-40.35%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱617

$11.40 ZWL 304

-13.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱290

$5.53 ZWL 148

-16.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱484

$6.42 ZWL 171

19.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$3.07 ZWL 82.1

7.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

$1.70 ZWL 45.29

-14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.08 ZWL 55.4

13.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

$1.51 ZWL 40.45

1.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.75 ZWL 46.67

34.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.78 ZWL 47.51

11.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.3

$1.22 ZWL 32.72

-5.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.26

$0.94 ZWL 25.02

-28.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

53.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱399

$8.37 ZWL 224

-24.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.1

$1.38 ZWL 36.81

-5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

-12.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

$1.01 ZWL 27.10

-75.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱796

$59.1 ZWL 1,578

-78.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.44

$4.12 ZWL 110

-82.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$2.05 ZWL 54.8

-89.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$5.06 ZWL 135

-14.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

$1.84 ZWL 49.04

-27.72%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$21.6K ZWL 576.3K

0.88%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$27.6K ZWL 736.2K

-29.62%

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

$121 ₱7,583

$52.2 ZWL 1,394

131.08%

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

$14.45 ₱909

$21.85 ZWL 583

-33.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,779

$68.0 ZWL 1,817

-58.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,055

$48.13 ZWL 1,286

-32.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱402

$22.78 ZWL 609

-71.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱343

$9.88 ZWL 264

-44.74%

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

$273 ₱17.2K

$428 ZWL 11.4K

-36.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱512.9K

$8,427 ZWL 225.1K

-3.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,117

$23.65 ZWL 632

109.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,564

$21.26 ZWL 568

16.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,817

$38.85 ZWL 1,038

97.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,727

$39.60 ZWL 1,058

49.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.8K

$389 ZWL 10.4K

30.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

$316 ZWL 8,435

-2.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.1K

$838 ZWL 22.4K

25.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.9K

$755 ZWL 20.2K

-18.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱183.4K

$913 ZWL 24.4K

219.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.4K

$388 ZWL 10.4K

381.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.5K

$421 ZWL 11.3K

-19.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

13.69

-47.41%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Harare: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Harare

$316 30.9% 2.1% $6.4

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Harare

$215 21% 2.1% $4.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Harare

$142 13.9% 13% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Harare

$56 5.4% 41.3% $39

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Harare

$150 14.6% 69.3% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Harare

$68 6.6% 55.7% $24

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Harare

$78 7.6% 402% $62

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $389 in Harare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harare pays 23% 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 $45.00 in Harare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $215 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇿🇼 Harare

🕒 Local time

16:23 4:23 PM

10:23 10:23 AM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,606,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Zimbabwean Dollar ZWL $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

100 ZWL = 3.74 USD

100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZWL, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 26.71 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.74 USD). 1 EUR = 29.96 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Harare 10,650 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Harare

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 Harare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Harare. 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 $389 in Harare. 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 $1,025 in Harare – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 367% less than in Harare. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Cebu versus $1,025 in Harare, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Harare. 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 Harare, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Harare 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 10% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.