Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Kurunegala

For one person, living is cheaper in Kurunegala: $474 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Kurunegala
Learn more

Kurunegala Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Kurunegala

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$474

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Kurunegala

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $474 in Kurunegala.

Cebu $918
Kurunegala $474

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $774 in Kurunegala.

Cebu $1,409
Kurunegala $774

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,074 in Kurunegala.

Cebu $1,900
Kurunegala $1,074

Living in Cebu is roughly 94% more expensive than in Kurunegala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Kurunegala 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$1.85 LKR 612

67.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$24.62 LKR 8,154

-1.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$4.61 LKR 1,528

-14.97%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.39 LKR 792

5.02%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.46 LKR 153

245.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.27 LKR 90.4

96.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.17 LKR 719

-17.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$3.07 LKR 1,017

-29.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.54 LKR 509

24.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.43 LKR 144

216.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$0.75 LKR 249

34.67%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.58 LKR 522

28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$14.00 LKR 4,636

-29.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$4.79 LKR 1,586

-8.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$7.37 LKR 2,440

3.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$6.90 LKR 2,285

-52.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$0.80 LKR 263

73.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$4.60 LKR 1,525

-49.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$1.26 LKR 419

19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$1.03 LKR 341

129.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.76 LKR 251

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.88 LKR 290

35.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.44 LKR 145

43.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$10.10 LKR 3,345

-70.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$13.78 LKR 4,563

-56.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.88 LKR 621

-34.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$3.07 LKR 1,017

-43.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$0.38 LKR 125

102.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.29 LKR 95.8

-20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$0.87 LKR 288

412.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.05 LKR 349

24.76%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$36.4K LKR 12.0M

-41.60%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$40.2K LKR 13.3M

-52.39%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$52.9 LKR 17.5K

127.45%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$4.29 LKR 1,420

226.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$21.07 LKR 6,979

30.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$4.49 LKR 1,488

25.84%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$38.04 LKR 12.6K

623.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$1,220 LKR 404.1K

549.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$18.31 LKR 6,064

169.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$16.66 LKR 5,517

51.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$78.8 LKR 26.1K

-2.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$41.96 LKR 13.9K

36.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$154 LKR 51.1K

124.37%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Kurunegala

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Kurunegala

$238 50.1% 15.4% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Kurunegala

$78 16.5% 51.6% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Kurunegala

$70 14.8% 25.4% $24

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Kurunegala

$77 16.3% 12.5% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Kurunegala

$9 * 1.9% 79.4% $35

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Kurunegala

$1.8 * 0.4% 88.3% $14

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

Cost Breakdown

Cebu pays 124% 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 $25.00 in Kurunegala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $238 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇱🇰 Kurunegala

🕒 Local time

23:57 11:57 PM

21:27 9:27 PM

2 h 30 min behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

30,300

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, 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).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Kurunegala 4,790 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Kurunegala

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 Kurunegala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kurunegala is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, eating out, and leisure. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 124% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $474 in Kurunegala – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kurunegala gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.