Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Helsingborg

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,723 in Helsingborg, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
82

Cost of Living Index in Helsingborg
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Helsingborg Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Helsingborg

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,723

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Helsingborg

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,723 in Helsingborg.

Cebu $934
Helsingborg $1,723

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $2,599 in Helsingborg.

Cebu $1,415
Helsingborg $2,599

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $3,474 in Helsingborg.

Cebu $1,896
Helsingborg $3,474

Living in Cebu costs roughly 46% less than in Helsingborg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Helsingborg is 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$12.83 SEK 128

-76.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

$69.0 SEK 689

-65.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$12.36 SEK 124

-66.91%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$4.61 SEK 46.08

-45.34%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$2.91 SEK 29.10

-47.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$2.32 SEK 23.17

-78.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$6.77 SEK 67.7

-73.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$6.09 SEK 60.9

-62.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.43 SEK 14.28

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$2.70 SEK 27.00

-47.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$3.01 SEK 30.05

-66.11%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$3.86 SEK 38.60

-46.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$11.17 SEK 112

-12.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$10.95 SEK 109

-57.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$14.75 SEK 147

-47.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$3.01 SEK 30.06

9.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$2.44 SEK 24.37

-40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$3.02 SEK 30.14

-21.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$4.41 SEK 44.11

-65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.63 SEK 16.28

44.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.52 SEK 15.19

30.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$1.81 SEK 18.08

-36.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$1.65 SEK 16.45

-59.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$8.19 SEK 81.8

-63.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$9.30 SEK 92.9

-31.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$2.03 SEK 20.33

-35.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$2.16 SEK 21.59

-19.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$3.13 SEK 31.24

-92.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

$62.6 SEK 626

-79.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

$6.20 SEK 62.0

-88.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

$1.69 SEK 16.94

-87.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

$59.5 SEK 594

-92.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$1.75 SEK 17.53

-24.00%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$32.2K SEK 322.2K

-32.48%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$33.0K SEK 329.7K

-41.21%

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

$121 ₱7,563

$104 SEK 1,041

15.72%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$19.28 SEK 193

-25.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$33.29 SEK 333

-15.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$37.67 SEK 377

-13.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

$21.86 SEK 218

-70.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$14.85 SEK 148

-63.23%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$172 SEK 1,721

58.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

$78.7 SEK 786

-36.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

$33.25 SEK 332

-25.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

$85.8 SEK 858

-10.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

$109 SEK 1,091

-45.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

$830 SEK 8,294

-39.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$632 SEK 6,315

-51.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$1,362 SEK 13.6K

-22.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

$1,061 SEK 10.6K

-41.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

$3,047 SEK 30.5K

-4.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

$2,288 SEK 22.9K

-18.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

$2,855 SEK 28.5K

-88.06%

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 Helsingborg: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Helsingborg

$632 37.6% 104% $322

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Helsingborg

$333 19.8% 58.3% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Helsingborg

$157 9.3% 4% $6.5

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Helsingborg

$138 8.2% 45.9% $43

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Helsingborg

$262 15.6% 197% $174

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Helsingborg

$67 4% 54.5% $24

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Helsingborg

$90 5.4% 481% $74

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $830 in Helsingborg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helsingborg pays 737% 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 $69.0 in Helsingborg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $333 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇸🇪 Helsingborg

🕒 Local time

12:50 12:50 PM

06:50 6:50 AM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

93,838

💱 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 Helsingborg 10,330 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Helsingborg

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 Helsingborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 737% lower in Helsingborg. 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 $830 in Helsingborg. 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 $1,723 in Helsingborg – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 395% less than in Helsingborg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Cebu versus $1,723 in Helsingborg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Helsingborg. 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 Helsingborg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Helsingborg 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 85% less than in Helsingborg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.