Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Kalutara

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalutara: $608 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Kalutara
Learn more

Kalutara Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Kalutara

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Kalutara

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $608 in Kalutara.

Cebu $918
Kalutara $608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $888 in Kalutara.

Cebu $1,409
Kalutara $888

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,169 in Kalutara.

Cebu $1,900
Kalutara $1,169

Living in Cebu is roughly 51% more expensive than in Kalutara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Kalutara 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$3.90 LKR 1,292

-20.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$25.14 LKR 8,326

-3.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$7.49 LKR 2,481

-47.66%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.48 LKR 821

1.21%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.73 LKR 241

117.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.27 LKR 89.5

96.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.15 LKR 713

-17.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$3.06 LKR 1,014

-29.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.64 LKR 543

17.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.53 LKR 176

156.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$0.75 LKR 249

34.67%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.71 LKR 568

18.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$13.49 LKR 4,469

-26.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$4.91 LKR 1,625

-10.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$7.42 LKR 2,457

2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$6.49 LKR 2,149

-49.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$0.81 LKR 268

71.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$4.27 LKR 1,413

-45.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$1.26 LKR 418

19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.99 LKR 328

138.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.81 LKR 269

134.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.87 LKR 289

36.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.43 LKR 142

46.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$10.32 LKR 3,418

-70.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$13.02 LKR 4,312

-53.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.90 LKR 629

-35.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$3.02 LKR 999

-42.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$0.12 LKR 39.13

108.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$9.29 LKR 3,077

36.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$0.38 LKR 125

102.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.18 LKR 59.8

27.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$0.93 LKR 307

379.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.38 LKR 456

-5.07%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$37.3K LKR 12.4M

-43.12%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$40.9K LKR 13.5M

-53.15%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$58.9 LKR 19.5K

104.19%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$4.27 LKR 1,413

227.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$20.99 LKR 6,953

31.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$8.89 LKR 2,944

263.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$4.56 LKR 1,511

23.90%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$38.39 LKR 12.7K

617.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$1,205 LKR 399.0K

557.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$18.10 LKR 5,995

172.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$16.86 LKR 5,584

49.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$79.7 LKR 26.4K

-3.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$41.88 LKR 13.9K

36.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$85.7 LKR 28.4K

260.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

12.69

-43.26%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kalutara: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Kalutara

$86 14.1% 72.2% $223

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Kalutara

$234 38.5% 13.8% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Kalutara

$84 13.8% 48% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Kalutara

$70 11.6% 25% $23

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Kalutara

$104 17.2% 18.2% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Kalutara

$18 3% 58.7% $26

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Kalutara

$11 1.8% 29.1% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $25.00 in Kalutara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $234 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇱🇰 Kalutara

🕒 Local time

07:19 7:19 AM

04:49 4:49 AM

2 h 30 min behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

39,600

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Kalutara 4,850 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Kalutara

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 Kalutara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalutara is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and utilities. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,377 in Cebu and $912 in Kalutara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $608 in Kalutara – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kalutara runs roughly 36% 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 Kalutara gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Kalutara 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 Kalutara 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 Kalutara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.