Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Kish

For one person, living is cheaper in Kish: $561 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
27

Cost of Living Index in Kish
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Kish Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Kish

🇮🇷 Iran

$561

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Kish

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $561 in Kish.

Cebu $918
Kish $561

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $879 in Kish.

Cebu $1,409
Kish $879

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,197 in Kish.

Cebu $1,900
Kish $1,197

Living in Cebu is roughly 64% more expensive than in Kish, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Kish 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$5.52 $5.52

-44.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$15.35 $15.35

57.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$4.39 $4.39

-10.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 $0.72

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 $1.23

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$1.19 $1.19

110.92%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.50 $0.50

218.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$1.01 $1.01

-47.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.65 $0.65

195.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.55 $0.55

147.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$2.04 $2.04

-50.49%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.23 $1.23

65.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$4.47 $4.47

120.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$3.14 $3.14

39.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$9.27 $9.27

-18.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$0.92 $0.92

258.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$1.50 $1.50

-7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$0.92 $0.92

153.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$0.62 $0.62

141.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.52 $0.52

353.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.52 $0.52

265.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.48 $0.48

147.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.28 $0.28

125.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.78 $0.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 $0.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$2.38 $2.38

26.05%

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

$0.15 $0.15

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$8.30 $8.30

52.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$0.38 $0.38

102.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.27 $0.27

-14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$2.71 $2.71

64.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$0.09 $0.09

1355.56%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$54.6K $54.6K

-61.11%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$49.1K $49.1K

-60.99%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$13.43 $13.43

795.23%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$1.57 $1.57

791.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$3.31 $3.31

732.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$20.31 $20.31

59.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$12.66 $12.66

-47.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$2.07 $2.07

172.95%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$113 $113

143.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$2,256 $2,256

250.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$22.42 $22.42

120.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$28.14 $28.14

-10.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$111 $111

-30.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$69.4 $69.4

-17.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$286 $286

74.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$215 $215

43.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$800 $800

34.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$358 $358

71.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$1,300 $1,300

121.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$563 $563

240.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$413 $413

-16.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

24.3

-70.37%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kish: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Kish

$215 38.4% 30.2% $93

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Kish

$110 19.7% 46.5% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Kish

$18 3.3% 88.7% $143

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Kish

$104 18.5% 10.5% $9.9

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Kish

$78 13.9% 11.9% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Kish

$24 4.4% 43.9% $19

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Kish

$11 1.9% 32% $5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $286 in Kish. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kish pays 19% 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 $15.00 in Kish for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $110 per month, with Kish cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇮🇷 Kish

🕒 Local time

07:59 7:59 AM

03:29 3:29 AM

4 h 30 min behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

24,819

💱 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 17, 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 17, 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 Kish 7,510 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Kish

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 Kish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kish is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Kish. 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: $500 in Cebu versus $286 in Kish. 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 $561 in Kish – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kish runs roughly 52% 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 Kish gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Kish 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 Kish 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 Kish gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.