Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Isiolo

For one person, living is cheaper in Isiolo: $544 a month against $915 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Isiolo
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Isiolo Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$915

/mo nomad

Isiolo

🇰🇪 Kenya

$544

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Isiolo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Cebu versus $544 in Isiolo.

Cebu $915
Isiolo $544

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Cebu versus $891 in Isiolo.

Cebu $1,418
Isiolo $891

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,921 in Cebu versus $1,239 in Isiolo.

Cebu $1,921
Isiolo $1,239

Living in Cebu is roughly 68% more expensive than in Isiolo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Isiolo 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ₱192

$6.25 KES 811

-51.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ₱1,511

$35.04 KES 4,543

-31.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 ₱251

$6.40 KES 829

-37.66%

Cappuccino

$2.50 ₱157

$2.69 KES 349

-7.06%

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

$1.54 ₱97.1

$0.66 KES 84.9

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.37

$0.56 KES 73.0

-10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.29 KES 297

-22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱136

$2.64 KES 342

-17.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₱126

$0.89 KES 116

124.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ₱86.2

$0.57 KES 73.4

140.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.9

$1.91 KES 248

-46.07%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.68 KES 218

20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ₱642

$10.78 KES 1,398

-5.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 ₱280

$6.48 KES 840

-31.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 ₱483

$6.22 KES 807

23.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$3.30 KES 427

0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₱91.8

$1.05 KES 136

39.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₱146

$2.03 KES 263

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱94.0

$1.15 KES 149

29.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

$1.12 KES 145

108.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$1.08 KES 140

79.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$0.73 KES 94.9

58.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.89

$0.75 KES 96.7

-9.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱188

$3.52 KES 457

-15.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 ₱393

$11.43 KES 1,482

-45.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.3

$2.32 KES 300

-46.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$2.69 KES 349

-35.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 ₱777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.96

$1.52 KES 197

-48.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.86

$1.52 KES 197

-85.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ₱286

$2.86 KES 371

58.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$1.61 KES 209

-18.01%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$21.8K KES 2.8M

-3.75%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-3.93%

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

$119 ₱7,464

$56.5 KES 7,319

110.01%

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

$14.22 ₱896

$14.95 KES 1,939

-4.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.47 ₱1,730

$34.44 KES 4,465

-20.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.31 ₱2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.50 ₱409

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱340

$7.75 KES 1,004

-30.32%

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

$276 ₱17.4K

$249 KES 32.3K

10.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,866 ₱495.3K

$12.4K KES 1.6M

-36.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 ₱3,108

$27.88 KES 3,615

77.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.58 ₱1,548

$29.53 KES 3,829

-16.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,825

$71.4 KES 9,256

7.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 ₱3,706

$58.6 KES 7,592

0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ₱19.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₱67.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,870 ₱180.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱118.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ₱21.1K

$777 KES 100.7K

-56.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

14.71

-51.05%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$305 33.3%

Isiolo

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.9%

Isiolo

$206 37.9% 1.6% $3.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$160 17.5%

Isiolo

$106 19.5% 33.9% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.3%

Isiolo

$84 15.5% 10.5% $9.9

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Isiolo

$123 22.6% 40.3% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$43 4.7%

Isiolo

$15 * 2.9% 64.1% $28

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Isiolo

$9.1 * 1.7% 39.9% $6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 131% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $35.00 in Isiolo. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $206, with Isiolo cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇰🇪 Isiolo

🕒 Local time

19:38 7:38 PM

14:38 2:38 PM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

45,989

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Isiolo 9,600 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Isiolo

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 Isiolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 131% lower in Isiolo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Cebu versus $544 in Isiolo – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Isiolo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Isiolo 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.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Isiolo 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 Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.