For one person, living is cheaper in Homs: $528 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Homs actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $528 in Homs.
Cebu $918
Homs $528
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $795 in Homs.
Cebu $1,409
Homs $795
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,063 in Homs.
Cebu $1,900
Homs $1,063
🌍
Living in Cebu is roughly 74% more expensive than in Homs, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu32% lower, Homs61% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Homs
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱195
$3.03SYP 368
1.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,525
$12.16SYP 1,478
99.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$6.92SYP 840
-43.35%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$0.62SYP 75.0
304.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$2.22SYP 270
-28.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.45
$0.52SYP 63.1
1.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$1.98SYP 240
-10.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$4.06SYP 493
-46.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Homs
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$0.81SYP 97.9
137.04%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.5
$0.42SYP 51.0
223.81%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.6
$1.50SYP 183
-32.67%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$1.57SYP 190
29.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$3.95SYP 480
149.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$5.77SYP 701
-23.92%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$12.15SYP 1,477
-37.45%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$0.60SYP 73.3
450.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.8
$1.40SYP 171
-0.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$0.58SYP 70.2
301.72%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.3
$0.33SYP 40.31
354.55%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$0.55SYP 66.4
329.09%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$0.79SYP 96.5
140.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$0.27SYP 32.61
340.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.73
$0.66SYP 80.1
-4.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$1.48SYP 179
102.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱380
$3.77SYP 459
59.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.7
$0.72SYP 87.6
70.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$2.94SYP 357
-40.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Homs
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.87
$0.22SYP 26.46
13.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
$15.07SYP 1,831
-16.12%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.64
$0.97SYP 118
-20.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.54
$1.52SYP 185
-84.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$1.98SYP 241
125.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$1.22SYP 148
7.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$13.2KSYP 1.6M
60.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$18.8KSYP 2.3M
1.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Homs
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,573
$93.3SYP 11.3K
28.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱882
$9.52SYP 1,157
47.06%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,735
$45.79SYP 5,564
-39.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Homs
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,036
$10.04SYP 1,220
222.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$5.41SYP 658
4.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Homs
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$53.8SYP 6,543
411.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.8K
$904SYP 109.8K
776.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Homs
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,107
$5.05SYP 614
876.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,590
$20.04SYP 2,435
25.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,848
$60.9SYP 7,399
26.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,603
$30.39SYP 3,693
88.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Homs
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$123SYP 14.9K
306.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.5K
$53.5SYP 6,500
477.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$352SYP 42.8K
206.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.8K
$138SYP 16.7K
346.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Homs
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$72.3SYP 8,790
378.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
14.25
-49.47%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Homs: October 11, 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%
Homs
$53 10.1% ↓ 82.7%$255
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Homs
$146 27.7% ↓ 28.9%$60
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Homs
$149 28.2% ↓ 8.1%$13
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Homs
$52 9.9% ↓ 44.2%$42
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Homs
$81 15.4% ↓ 7.8%$6.9
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Homs
$21 4% ↓ 52.2%$23
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Homs
$25 4.7% ↑ 57.4%$8.9
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Homs
$138 13% ↓ 77.6%$477
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Homs
$346 32.6% ↓ 28.3%$137
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Homs
$158 14.9% ↓ 10%$18
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Homs
$116 11% ↓ 44.2%$92
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Homs
$213 20.1% ↓ 27%$79
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Homs
$42 * 3.9% ↓ 55.6%$52
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Homs
$49 4.7% ↑ 56.3%$18
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $123 in Homs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cebu pays 378% 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 $12.00 in Homs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $146 per month, with Homs 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 Homs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Homs cheaper than Cebu?
Homs is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Homs?
Average pay runs 378% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Homs?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $123 in Homs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Homs?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $528 in Homs – a 74% 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 Homs runs roughly 19% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cebu or Homs?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Homs gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Cebu or Homs more family-friendly?
For families, Homs 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.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Homs?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Homs 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 Homs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.