Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Katunayaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Katunayaka: $506 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cebu, Philippines
Katunayaka, Sri Lanka
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
Katunayaka
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$506
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Katunayaka

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $506 in Katunayaka.

  • Cebu $934
  • Katunayaka $506

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,423 in Cebu versus $822 in Katunayaka.

  • Cebu $1,423
  • Katunayaka $822

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,913 in Cebu versus $1,138 in Katunayaka.

  • Cebu $1,913
  • Katunayaka $1,138

Living in Cebu is roughly 85% more expensive than in Katunayaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 31% lower, Katunayaka 63% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Katunayaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.79 ₱242
$3.84 LKR 1,278
-1.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.33 ₱1,491
$25.36 LKR 8,429
-8.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.94 ₱252
$7.49 LKR 2,491
-47.40%
Cappuccino
$2.54 ₱163
$2.55 LKR 848
-0.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 ₱100
$0.71 LKR 236
121.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ₱29.82
$0.27 LKR 89.9
74.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.77 ₱113
$2.19 LKR 727
-19.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 ₱142
$3.08 LKR 1,023
-27.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Katunayaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.90 ₱121
$1.64 LKR 544
15.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱87.1
$0.57 LKR 190
138.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.94 ₱59.8
$0.76 LKR 254
23.68%
Eggs
$1.99 ₱127
$1.72 LKR 573
15.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.70 ₱620
$13.55 LKR 4,503
-28.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 ₱276
$4.89 LKR 1,627
-11.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.51 ₱480
$7.46 LKR 2,481
0.67%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 ₱211
$6.50 LKR 2,162
-49.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 ₱87.5
$0.84 LKR 281
63.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 ₱149
$4.40 LKR 1,464
-46.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.49 ₱95.4
$1.29 LKR 428
15.50%
Potato (1kg)
$2.30 ₱147
$0.99 LKR 329
132.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 ₱120
$0.76 LKR 253
146.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 ₱70.3
$0.95 LKR 316
15.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱40.36
$0.45 LKR 151
40.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.86 ₱183
$10.25 LKR 3,409
-72.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.08 ₱389
$12.79 LKR 4,251
-52.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 ₱81.4
$1.91 LKR 636
-33.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₱110
$2.95 LKR 979
-41.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Katunayaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 ₱13.99
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.34 ₱788
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.74 ₱47.53
$0.41 LKR 135
80.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 ₱14.08
$0.37 LKR 123
-40.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.28 ₱273
$0.93 LKR 310
360.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱83.7
$1.40 LKR 464
-6.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.8K ₱1.3M
$44.7K LKR 14.8M
-53.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.0K ₱1.2M
$40.9K LKR 13.6M
-53.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Katunayaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$118 ₱7,565
$58.3 LKR 19.4K
103.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.76 ₱1,007
$4.33 LKR 1,441
263.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.33 ₱1,810
$21.11 LKR 7,019
34.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Katunayaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.94 ₱2,105
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.49 ₱415
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.45 ₱348
$4.40 LKR 1,462
23.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Katunayaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$276 ₱17.6K
$38.35 LKR 12.8K
619.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,789 ₱497.7K
$1,203 LKR 399.9K
547.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Katunayaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.18 ₱3,078
$18.46 LKR 6,138
161.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.47 ₱1,564
$16.89 LKR 5,616
44.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.3 ₱4,810
$79.4 LKR 26.4K
-5.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.0 ₱3,707
$41.36 LKR 13.7K
40.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Katunayaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$477 ₱30.5K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$322 ₱20.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 ₱61.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$626 ₱40.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,551 ₱290.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,028 ₱193.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Katunayaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$333 ₱21.3K
-
-
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 26, 2026

Last update for Katunayaka: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$322
Katunayaka
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$204
Katunayaka
$236 15.8% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163
Katunayaka
$84 48.4% $79
Eating Out
Cebu
$94
Katunayaka
$105 11.4% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$93
Katunayaka
$70 24.2% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Katunayaka
$8.8 * 80% $35
Getting Around
Cebu
$15
Katunayaka
$2.3 * 85% $13

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $23 in Cebu vs $25 in Katunayaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $236 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇱🇰 Katunayaka
🕒 Local time
07:09 7:09 AM
04:39 4:39 AM
2 h 30 min behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
84,643
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Katunayaka 4,850 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Katunayaka

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 Katunayaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Katunayaka cheaper than Cebu?
Katunayaka is about 46% cheaper overall, especially in leisure, clothing, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,401 in Cebu and $759 in Katunayaka 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.
How do food prices compare in Cebu and in Katunayaka?
Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Katunayaka?
All in, you’ll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $506 in Katunayaka – Katunayaka is about 46% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is it better to live in Cebu or in Katunayaka?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Cebu vs other spots: cost of living compared

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