Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Jakarta

For one person, living is cheaper in Jakarta: $793 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Jakarta
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Jakarta Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Jakarta

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$793

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Jakarta

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $793 in Jakarta.

Cebu $934
Jakarta $793

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $1,283 in Jakarta.

Cebu $1,415
Jakarta $1,283

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $1,772 in Jakarta.

Cebu $1,896
Jakarta $1,772

Living in Cebu is roughly 18% more expensive than in Jakarta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Jakarta 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱191

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

15.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,476

$16.93 Rp 302.9K

38.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱257

$3.33 Rp 59.5K

22.82%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

26.00%

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

$1.54 ₱97.2

$0.43 Rp 7,775

258.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.06

$0.25 Rp 4,472

96.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱113

$2.57 Rp 45.9K

-30.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

-41.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

37.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.9

$1.09 Rp 19.4K

31.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$0.91 Rp 16.2K

12.09%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$1.77 Rp 31.7K

16.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱617

$9.22 Rp 164.9K

6.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱290

$3.11 Rp 55.6K

48.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱484

$7.78 Rp 139.1K

-1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$2.87 Rp 51.4K

15.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

9.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.50 Rp 44.6K

-5.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

10.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

71.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

-5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.3

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

22.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.26

$0.51 Rp 9,105

31.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$2.80 Rp 50.1K

7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱399

$20.83 Rp 372.7K

-69.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.1

$2.05 Rp 36.7K

-36.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$3.04 Rp 54.4K

-43.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

$0.27 Rp 4,809

-7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱796

$11.86 Rp 212.1K

6.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.44

$0.50 Rp 8,982

48.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.33 Rp 5,888

-36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$3.42 Rp 61.2K

26.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

52.87%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$27.8K Rp 496.8M

-21.63%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$32.6K Rp 583.5M

-40.52%

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

$121 ₱7,583

$106 Rp 1.9M

13.91%

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

$14.45 ₱909

$6.04 Rp 108.0K

139.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,779

$19.04 Rp 340.7K

48.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,055

$25.65 Rp 458.8K

27.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱402

$13.65 Rp 244.3K

-53.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱343

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

65.96%

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

$273 ₱17.2K

$153 Rp 2.7M

78.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱512.9K

$8,270 Rp 147.9M

-1.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,117

$58.7 Rp 1.0M

-15.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,564

$28.37 Rp 507.5K

-12.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,817

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

8.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,727

$106 Rp 1.9M

-44.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.8K

$370 Rp 6.6M

36.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

$200 Rp 3.6M

54.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.1K

$1,155 Rp 20.7M

-8.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.9K

$556 Rp 10.0M

11.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱183.4K

$3,023 Rp 54.1M

-3.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.4K

$1,445 Rp 25.9M

29.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.5K

$449 Rp 8.0M

-24.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

9.46

-23.89%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Jakarta

$200 25.3% 35.3% $109

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Jakarta

$218 27.5% 3.5% $7.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Jakarta

$131 16.5% 19.8% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Jakarta

$119 15% 25.4% $24

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Jakarta

$78 9.9% 11.4% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Jakarta

$32 4.1% 26.1% $11

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Jakarta

$15 1.9% 2.3% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $370 in Jakarta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jakarta pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Cebu vs $17.00 in Jakarta. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $218, with Cebu cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇮🇩 Jakarta

🕒 Local time

09:53 9:53 AM

08:53 8:53 AM

1 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

11,337,563 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,890 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,065 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Jakarta 2,630 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Jakarta

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 Jakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakarta is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, leisure, and utilities. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Jakarta. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $370 in Jakarta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $793 in Jakarta – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jakarta runs roughly 7% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

For families, Jakarta 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 Jakarta 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 Jakarta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.