For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,206 in Horta, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. The total is higher in Horta despite lower rent and utilities.
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 Horta actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,206 in Horta.
Cebu $934
Horta $1,206
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $1,787 in Horta.
Cebu $1,415
Horta $1,787
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $2,367 in Horta.
Cebu $1,896
Horta $2,367
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 23% less than in Horta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu30% lower, Horta10% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Horta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03₱190
$7.99€7.13
-62.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48₱1,473
$31.09€27.74
-24.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.09₱256
$8.29€7.40
-50.66%
Cappuccino
$2.52₱158
$2.25€2.01
12.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54₱96.9
$1.91€1.71
-19.37%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49₱30.98
$1.39€1.24
-64.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.79₱112
$2.76€2.47
-35.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26₱142
$3.35€2.99
-32.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Horta
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.95₱122
$1.07€0.96
82.24%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43₱89.7
$1.47€1.31
-2.72%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02₱63.8
$1.60€1.43
-36.25%
Eggs
$2.06₱129
$4.37€3.90
-52.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.81₱615
$10.77€9.61
-8.91%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.61₱289
$7.72€6.89
-40.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.70₱483
$15.12€13.49
-49.07%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31₱207
$2.06€1.83
60.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45₱90.9
$1.34€1.19
8.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$1.87€1.67
26.20%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.54₱96.4
$2.86€2.55
-46.15%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$1.85€1.65
27.57%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99₱125
$1.91€1.71
4.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.15₱72.1
$1.53€1.36
-24.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67₱42.15
$0.83€0.75
-19.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱188
$5.34€4.77
-43.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.35₱398
$5.64€5.03
12.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31₱81.9
$1.21€1.08
8.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73₱108
$2.10€1.88
-17.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Horta
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.78
$1.98€1.77
-87.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.65₱793
$40.47€36.12
-68.74%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.74₱46.32
$4.16€3.71
-82.21%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.21₱13.11
$0.93€0.83
-77.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.33₱271
$17.81€15.89
-75.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33₱83.5
$2.42€2.16
-45.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K₱1.4M
$32.9K€29.3K
-33.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K₱1.2M
$35.8K€31.9K
-45.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Horta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$121₱7,563
$121€108
-0.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45₱907
$20.13€17.97
-28.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29₱1,774
$49.19€43.90
-42.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Horta
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.68₱2,050
$47.92€42.77
-31.80%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39₱401
$16.59€14.80
-61.48%
Cinema Ticket
$5.46₱342
$5.00€4.47
9.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Horta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$273₱17.1K
$529€472
-48.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,156₱511.5K
$10.7K€9,549
-23.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Horta
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57₱3,109
$77.4€69.1
-35.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87₱1,560
$23.32€20.81
6.65%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.6₱4,804
$54.2€48.39
41.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3₱3,717
$104€93.1
-43.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Horta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$506₱31.7K
$497€444
1.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$394€352
-21.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,052₱66.0K
$751€670
40.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$619₱38.8K
$653€583
-5.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,915₱182.9K
$3,033€2,707
-3.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,867₱117.1K
$2,276€2,031
-17.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Horta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$341₱21.4K
$966€862
-64.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
3.67
96.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026
Last update for Horta: October 3, 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 33.5%
Horta
$394 32.4% ↑ 27.4%$85
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210 22.7%
Horta
$253 20.7% ↑ 20%$42
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163 17.7%
Horta
$190 15.6% ↑ 16.6%$27
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95 10.2%
Horta
$117 9.6% ↑ 23.3%$22
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Horta
$150 12.3% ↑ 69.2%$61
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.7%
Horta
$58 4.8% ↑ 32.9%$14
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$15 1.7%
Horta
$57 4.7% ↑ 271%$42
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$619 32.4%
Horta
$653 26.9% ↑ 5.5%$34
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$493 25.8%
Horta
$601 24.8% ↑ 21.9%$108
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$178 9.3%
Horta
$211 8.7% ↑ 18.4%$33
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$210 11%
Horta
$259 10.7% ↑ 23.3%$49
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$288 15.1%
Horta
$450 18.6% ↑ 56%$162
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Horta
$132 5.5% ↑ 41.5%$39
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$31 1.6%
Horta
$118 4.9% ↑ 277%$87
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $497 in Horta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Horta pays 183% 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 $31.00 in Horta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $253 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 Horta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Horta cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Horta?
On paper, salaries run 183% lower in Horta. 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 Horta?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $497 in Horta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Horta?
All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $1,206 in Horta – a 29% 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 220% less than in Horta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Horta?
At $934 in Cebu versus $1,206 in Horta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Horta. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Horta more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Horta, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Horta?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Horta 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 29% less than in Horta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.