Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Kone

For one person, living is cheaper in Kone: $463 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

Jump to prices

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Kone

🇳🇨 New Caledonia

$463

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Kone

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $463 in Kone.

Cebu $934
Kone $463

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $688 in Kone.

Cebu $1,415
Kone $688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $913 in Kone.

Cebu $1,896
Kone $913

Living in Cebu is roughly 102% more expensive than in Kone, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Kone 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱191

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,476

$52.9 CFPF 5,631

-55.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱257

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

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

$1.54 ₱97.2

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱113

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.9

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱617

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱290

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱484

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.26

$1.45 CFPF 154

-53.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$17.44 CFPF 1,856

-82.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱399

$15.06 CFPF 1,602

-57.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.44

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

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

$121 ₱7,583

$172 CFPF 18.3K

-30.05%

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

$14.45 ₱909

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,779

$95.5 CFPF 10.2K

-70.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,055

$56.2 CFPF 5,984

-41.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱402

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱343

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

$273 ₱17.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱512.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,117

$115 CFPF 12.2K

-56.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,564

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,817

$70.3 CFPF 7,477

8.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,727

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.8K

$583 CFPF 62.0K

-13.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.1K

$1,500 CFPF 159.6K

-29.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱183.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.5K

$2,926 CFPF 311.4K

-88.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Kone: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Kone

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Kone

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Kone

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Kone

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Kone

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Kone

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Kone

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $583 in Kone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kone pays 758% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Cebu vs $53.0 in Kone. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $47.00, with Kone cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇳🇨 Kone

🕒 Local time

15:28 3:28 PM

18:28 6:28 PM

3 h ahead of Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

5,500

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.4 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.4 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.38 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Kone 5,670 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Kone

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 Kone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kone is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 758% lower in Kone. 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: $506 in Cebu versus $583 in Kone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 343% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kone – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $23.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kone gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Kone 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 Kone 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 Kone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.