Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Karaj

For one person, living is cheaper in Karaj: $816 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. The total is higher in Cebu despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in Karaj
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Karaj Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Karaj

🇮🇷 Iran

$816

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Karaj

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $816 in Karaj.

Cebu $918
Karaj $816

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,054 in Karaj.

Cebu $1,409
Karaj $1,054

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,292 in Karaj.

Cebu $1,900
Karaj $1,292

Living in Cebu is roughly 12% more expensive than in Karaj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Karaj 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$3.79 $3.79

-18.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$17.25 $17.25

40.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$3.92 $3.92

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 $0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 $1.12

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$1.11 $1.11

126.13%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.46 $0.46

245.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$1.66 $1.66

-68.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.70 $0.70

174.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.51 $0.51

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$2.07 $2.07

-51.21%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.08 $1.08

87.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$4.31 $4.31

128.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$3.30 $3.30

33.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$10.38 $10.38

-26.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$0.86 $0.86

283.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$1.68 $1.68

-17.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$0.75 $0.75

210.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$0.49 $0.49

206.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.46 $0.46

413.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.47 $0.47

304.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.57 $0.57

108.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.19 $0.19

231.58%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 $0.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$2.52 $2.52

19.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$0.19 $0.19

31.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$13.23 $13.23

-4.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$0.31 $0.31

148.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.29 $0.29

-20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$2.66 $2.66

67.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$0.08 $0.08

1537.50%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$49.4K $49.4K

-57.00%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$44.9K $44.9K

-57.38%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$12.86 $12.86

834.91%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$1.58 $1.58

786.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$3.69 $3.69

646.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$23.06 $23.06

40.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$10.06 $10.06

-33.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$1.12 $1.12

404.46%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$108 $108

153.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$817 $817

869.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$25.45 $25.45

93.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$28.36 $28.36

-11.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$95.8 $95.8

-19.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$74.5 $74.5

-23.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$291 $291

71.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$480 $480

-35.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$829 $829

30.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$467 $467

31.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$1,249 $1,249

131.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$528 $528

263.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$245 $245

41.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

-68.70%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Karaj: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Karaj

$480 58.8% 55.4% $171

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Karaj

$112 13.7% 45.6% $94

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Karaj

$18 2.2% 88.8% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Karaj

$101 12.4% 7.4% $6.9

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Karaj

$64 7.8% 27.6% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Karaj

$25 3.1% 42% $18

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Karaj

$16 1.9% 1% $0.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $291 in Karaj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 41% 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 $17.00 in Karaj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $112 per month, with Karaj cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇮🇷 Karaj

🕒 Local time

11:20 11:20 AM

06:50 6:50 AM

4 h 30 min behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,712,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Karaj 7,800 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Karaj

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 Karaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karaj is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $291 in Karaj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $816 in Karaj – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karaj runs roughly 5% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Karaj gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Karaj 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 Karaj 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 Karaj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.