For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,539 in Ilion, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Other living expenses 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 Ilion actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,539 in Ilion.
Cebu $918
Ilion $1,539
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $2,422 in Ilion.
Cebu $1,409
Ilion $2,422
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $3,306 in Ilion.
Cebu $1,900
Ilion $3,306
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 40% less than in Ilion, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Ilion is 14% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Ilion
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱194
$13.33€11.84
-76.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,524
$57.6€51.1
-57.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱246
$8.85€7.86
-55.71%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$4.18€3.71
-39.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$2.40€2.13
-33.75%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.42
$0.58€0.52
-8.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$5.55€4.93
-67.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$5.48€4.87
-60.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Ilion
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$1.55€1.38
23.87%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.4
$1.38€1.23
-1.45%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.5
$2.71€2.40
-62.73%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$5.22€4.63
-61.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$12.29€10.91
-19.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱276
$10.49€9.32
-58.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱478
$18.60€16.52
-59.14%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$2.12€1.88
55.66%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.7
$1.97€1.75
-29.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$1.37€1.22
70.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.2
$2.10€1.86
-28.57%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$1.11€0.98
112.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$1.12€0.99
69.64%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$0.87€0.77
36.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.69
$0.85€0.75
-25.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$5.22€4.64
-42.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱379
$8.12€7.21
-25.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.6
$1.64€1.46
-25.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$3.41€3.03
-48.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Ilion
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.85
$1.37€1.22
-81.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱795
$44.37€39.40
-71.51%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.59
$4.36€3.87
-82.34%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.52
$0.97€0.86
-76.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱280
$13.68€12.15
-67.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$2.24€1.99
-41.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$28.2K€25.0K
-24.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$24.6K€21.8K
-22.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Ilion
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,566
$203€180
-40.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱881
$25.98€23.07
-46.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,733
$28.31€25.14
-2.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Ilion
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,034
$50.8€45.10
-36.33%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱418
$24.95€22.16
-73.35%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱355
$8.69€7.72
-34.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Ilion
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$474€421
-41.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.3K
$4,465€3,965
77.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Ilion
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,105
$69.9€62.1
-29.47%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,589
$35.56€31.59
-29.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,844
$103€91.6
-25.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,600
$106€94.0
-45.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Ilion
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.4K
$588€522
-15.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$484€430
-36.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.8K
$1,166€1,036
-7.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.7K
$973€864
-36.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.6K
$3,627€3,221
-20.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.6K
$2,949€2,619
-35.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Ilion
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$1,262€1,121
-72.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
4.4
63.64%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Ilion: 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%
Ilion
$484 31.5% ↑ 56.7%$175
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Ilion
$295 19.2% ↑ 43.3%$89
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Ilion
$257 16.7% ↑ 59%$95
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Ilion
$141 9.2% ↑ 50.6%$48
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Ilion
$234 15.2% ↑ 165%$146
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Ilion
$68 4.4% ↑ 56.3%$25
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Ilion
$59 3.8% ↑ 279%$44
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Ilion
$973 29.4% ↑ 58.1%$357
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Ilion
$697 21.1% ↑ 44.5%$215
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Ilion
$283 8.6% ↑ 61.1%$107
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Ilion
$314 9.5% ↑ 50.6%$106
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Ilion
$756 22.9% ↑ 159%$464
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Ilion
$161 4.9% ↑ 71.8%$67
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Ilion
$121 3.7% ↑ 282%$89
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $588 in Ilion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ilion pays 265% 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 $58.0 in Ilion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $295 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 Ilion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ilion cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Ilion?
On paper, salaries run 265% lower in Ilion. 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 Ilion?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $588 in Ilion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Ilion?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $1,539 in Ilion – a 68% 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 251% less than in Ilion. 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 Ilion?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,539 in Ilion, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Ilion. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Ilion more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ilion, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Ilion?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Ilion 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 68% less than in Ilion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.