Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Kisumu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kisumu: $643 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 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
31

Cost of Living Index in Kisumu
Learn more

Kisumu Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Kisumu

🇰🇪 Kenya

$643

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Kisumu

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $643 in Kisumu.

Cebu $918
Kisumu $643

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $972 in Kisumu.

Cebu $1,409
Kisumu $972

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,302 in Kisumu.

Cebu $1,900
Kisumu $1,302

Living in Cebu is roughly 43% more expensive than in Kisumu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Kisumu 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$4.67 KES 606

-33.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$24.63 KES 3,193

-1.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$6.54 KES 848

-40.06%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.63 KES 342

-4.56%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.67 KES 86.8

137.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.56 KES 72.9

-5.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.96 KES 254

-9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$2.72 KES 353

-20.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.56 KES 72.1

242.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.52 KES 67.0

161.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$1.89 KES 245

-46.56%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.64 KES 212

23.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$10.71 KES 1,388

-7.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$6.28 KES 814

-30.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$5.06 KES 656

50.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$3.37 KES 437

-2.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$0.89 KES 115

56.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$1.98 KES 257

17.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$1.11 KES 144

35.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$1.07 KES 139

120.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.90 KES 117

111.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.69 KES 89.4

72.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.74 KES 95.6

-14.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$3.05 KES 395

-1.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$7.90 KES 1,024

-23.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$2.30 KES 298

-46.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.36 KES 306

-25.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$0.74 KES 96.3

-66.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$23.05 KES 2,989

-45.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$1.57 KES 204

-50.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$1.50 KES 195

-84.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$2.82 KES 365

58.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.62 KES 210

-19.14%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$21.5K KES 2.8M

-1.16%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$20.6K KES 2.7M

-6.93%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$54.9 KES 7,119

118.96%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$15.40 KES 1,997

-9.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$35.59 KES 4,614

-22.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$22.87 KES 2,965

41.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$7.70 KES 998

-26.62%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$115 KES 14.9K

140.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$12.2K KES 1.6M

-35.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$11.41 KES 1,479

332.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$19.63 KES 2,545

28.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$15.49 KES 2,008

396.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$15.27 KES 1,979

274.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$151 KES 19.6K

229.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$139 KES 18.0K

122.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$560 KES 72.6K

92.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$212 KES 27.4K

190.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$765 KES 99.2K

277.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$779 KES 101.0K

-55.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

14.71

-51.05%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Kisumu

$139 21.6% 55% $170

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Kisumu

$188 29.2% 8.8% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Kisumu

$106 16.5% 34.5% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Kisumu

$28 4.3% 70.4% $66

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Kisumu

$109 16.9% 23.2% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Kisumu

$38 6% 12.3% $5.4

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Kisumu

$35 5.5% 125% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $151 in Kisumu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kisumu pays 125% 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 $25.00 in Kisumu. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $188, with Kisumu cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇰🇪 Kisumu

🕒 Local time

23:56 11:56 PM

18:56 6:56 PM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,155,574

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, 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).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Kisumu 9,920 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Kisumu

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 Kisumu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kisumu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 125% lower in Kisumu. 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 $151 in Kisumu. 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 $643 in Kisumu – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kisumu runs roughly 82% 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 Kisumu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Kisumu 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 Kisumu 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 Kisumu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.