For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,550 in Koge, rent and utilities included – about $19,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Koge actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $2,550 in Koge.
Cebu $918
Koge $2,550
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $3,869 in Koge.
Cebu $1,409
Koge $3,869
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $5,188 in Koge.
Cebu $1,900
Koge $5,188
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 64% less than in Koge, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Koge is 89% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Koge
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱195
$22.75DKK 152
-86.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,526
$104DKK 693
-76.70%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$15.01DKK 100
-73.88%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$7.22DKK 48.14
-65.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$4.25DKK 28.33
-62.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.47
$3.20DKK 21.34
-83.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$8.41DKK 56.1
-78.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$7.57DKK 50.5
-71.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Koge
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$2.03DKK 13.56
-5.42%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.5
$3.82DKK 25.48
-64.40%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.6
$2.27DKK 15.13
-55.51%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$4.77DKK 31.84
-57.44%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱622
$15.64DKK 104
-36.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$11.52DKK 76.8
-61.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$18.36DKK 122
-58.61%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$3.26DKK 21.75
1.23%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.9
$3.55DKK 23.68
-60.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$3.88DKK 25.87
-39.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.4
$5.04DKK 33.64
-70.24%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$2.23DKK 14.89
5.83%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱120
$2.09DKK 13.97
-9.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱75.0
$1.96DKK 13.06
-39.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.75
$1.16DKK 7.74
-45.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$9.46DKK 63.1
-68.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱380
$6.92DKK 46.12
-12.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.8
$1.96DKK 13.08
-37.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$2.17DKK 14.50
-19.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Koge
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.88
$3.80DKK 25.34
-93.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.67
$5.80DKK 38.68
-86.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.55
$1.72DKK 11.46
-86.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$62.3DKK 416
-92.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.9
$2.21DKK 14.74
-40.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$43.6KDKK 290.5K
-51.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$42.1KDKK 280.9K
-54.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Koge
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,577
$212DKK 1,411
-43.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱883
$11.81DKK 78.8
18.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,736
$29.13DKK 194
-5.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Koge
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,037
$41.47DKK 277
-22.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
$14.83DKK 98.9
-55.16%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$19.44DKK 130
-70.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Koge
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.4K
$540DKK 3,604
-49.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱499.1K
$6,012DKK 40.1K
31.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Koge
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,109
$118DKK 784
-58.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,591
$36.63DKK 244
-31.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,851
$154DKK 1,028
-50.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,605
$164DKK 1,097
-65.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Koge
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$1,429DKK 9,531
-65.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.5K
$1,189DKK 7,927
-74.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$2,512DKK 16.8K
-57.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.8K
$1,977DKK 13.2K
-68.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.9K
$6,604DKK 44.0K
-56.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.8K
$5,992DKK 40.0K
-68.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Koge
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$3,705DKK 24.7K
-90.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
3.67
96.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Koge: October 11, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309 33.6%
Koge
$1.2K 46.6% ↑ 285%$880
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Koge
$385 15.1% ↑ 87.1%$179
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Koge
$252 9.9% ↑ 56.1%$91
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Koge
$213 8.4% ↑ 127%$119
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Koge
$401 15.7% ↑ 354%$312
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Koge
$80 3.2% ↑ 84.2%$37
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Koge
$30 * 1.2% ↑ 90%$14
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Koge
$2K 38.1% ↑ 221%$1.4K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Koge
$912 17.6% ↑ 88.9%$429
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Koge
$264 5.1% ↑ 50.3%$88
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Koge
$473 9.1% ↑ 127%$264
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Koge
$1.3K 25.4% ↑ 352%$1K
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Koge
$176 3.4% ↑ 86.9%$82
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Koge
$67 * 1.3% ↑ 111%$35
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $1,429 in Koge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Koge pays 971% 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 $104 in Koge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $385 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
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 Koge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Koge cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 178% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Koge?
On paper, salaries run 971% lower in Koge. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Koge?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $1,429 in Koge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Cebu and in Koge?
Supermarket bills run roughly 87% higher in Koge. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Koge?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $2,550 in Koge – a 178% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Koge?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,550 in Koge, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Koge. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Koge more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Koge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Koge?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Koge are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 178% less than in Koge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.