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 Hiroshima actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $963 in Hiroshima.
Cebu $918
Hiroshima $963
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,548 in Hiroshima.
Cebu $1,409
Hiroshima $1,548
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $2,134 in Hiroshima.
Cebu $1,900
Hiroshima $2,134
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 5% less than in Hiroshima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu32% lower, Hiroshima29% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Hiroshima
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱194
$5.86¥926
-47.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,525
$31.49¥4,975
-23.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$5.11¥807
-23.29%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$2.75¥434
-8.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$0.96¥151
65.63%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.43
$0.64¥101
-17.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$2.69¥425
-33.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$3.88¥613
-44.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Hiroshima
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$1.45¥228
32.41%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.4
$1.55¥245
-12.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.5
$4.80¥759
-78.96%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$2.06¥326
-1.46%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$4.89¥773
101.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$5.89¥931
-25.47%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$11.07¥1,749
-31.35%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$3.29¥520
0.30%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.8
$1.94¥307
-28.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$3.80¥600
-38.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.3
$3.88¥613
-61.34%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$1.54¥244
53.25%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$3.43¥542
-44.61%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$1.36¥215
-12.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.71
$0.81¥129
-22.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$3.96¥626
-24.24%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱379
$7.84¥1,239
-23.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.7
$1.94¥307
-36.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$2.48¥391
-29.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Hiroshima
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.86
$1.92¥304
-86.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
$33.30¥5,261
-62.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.62
$3.74¥591
-79.41%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.53
$1.25¥197
-81.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$21.23¥3,354
-78.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$1.11¥175
18.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$21.9K¥3.5M
-3.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$14.7K¥2.3M
30.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Hiroshima
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,569
$136¥21.5K
-11.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱882
$24.40¥3,855
-42.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,734
$30.36¥4,796
-9.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Hiroshima
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,035
$53.9¥8,511
-39.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
$4.87¥769
36.55%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$11.80¥1,865
-52.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Hiroshima
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$155¥24.4K
78.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.5K
$3,376¥533.4K
134.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Hiroshima
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,106
$27.92¥4,410
76.68%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,589
$25.33¥4,001
-0.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,846
$47.84¥7,558
60.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,601
$62.5¥9,878
-8.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Hiroshima
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$239¥37.8K
108.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$192¥30.4K
60.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$618¥97.7K
74.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.7K
$501¥79.1K
22.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.7K
$3,001¥474.2K
-3.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.7K
$1,413¥223.2K
35.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Hiroshima
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$2,006¥316.9K
-82.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
2.21
225.79%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Hiroshima: October 12, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309 33.6%
Hiroshima
$192 20% ↓ 37.8%$117
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Hiroshima
$255 26.4% ↑ 23.6%$49
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Hiroshima
$191 19.9% ↑ 18.1%$29
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Hiroshima
$74 7.7% ↓ 21.6%$20
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Hiroshima
$123 12.8% ↑ 39.1%$35
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Hiroshima
$77 8.1% ↑ 77.6%$34
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Hiroshima
$51 5.3% ↑ 227%$35
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Hiroshima
$501 23.5% ↓ 18.6%$115
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Hiroshima
$588 27.5% ↑ 21.8%$105
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Hiroshima
$215 10.1% ↑ 22.6%$40
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Hiroshima
$164 7.7% ↓ 21.6%$45
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Hiroshima
$401 18.8% ↑ 37.3%$109
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Hiroshima
$160 7.5% ↑ 70.2%$66
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Hiroshima
$106 5% ↑ 234%$74
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $239 in Hiroshima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Hiroshima pays 480% 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: $24.00 in Cebu vs $31.00 in Hiroshima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $255 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
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 Hiroshima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hiroshima cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Hiroshima?
On paper, salaries run 480% lower in Hiroshima. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Hiroshima?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $239 in Hiroshima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Hiroshima?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $963 in Hiroshima – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 163% less than in Hiroshima. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cebu or Hiroshima?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cebu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Cebu or Hiroshima more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hiroshima, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Hiroshima?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Hiroshima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Hiroshima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.