Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $2,258 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,340 in Cebu versus $3,328 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,808 in Cebu versus $4,397 in Lisbon.

Living in Cebu costs roughly 61% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 35% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 ₱262

$15.82 €13.43

-72.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.24 ₱1,452

$64.4 €54.7

-62.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.48 ₱268

$10.37 €8.80

-56.80%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₱153

$2.89 €2.46

-11.42%

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

$0.85 ₱51.1

$2.23 €1.90

-61.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱25.54

$1.55 €1.31

-72.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱91.7

$3.38 €2.87

-54.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₱125

$3.90 €3.31

-46.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 ₱138

$1.12 €0.95

106.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ₱91.2

$1.80 €1.53

-15.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 ₱69.8

$1.75 €1.48

-33.14%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱142

$3.17 €2.69

-24.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 ₱768

$13.50 €11.46

-5.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱321

$7.79 €6.61

-31.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 ₱450

$15.65 €13.29

-51.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱207

$2.28 €1.94

51.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₱87.6

$1.71 €1.46

-14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱195

$1.93 €1.64

68.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱134

$2.52 €2.14

-10.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 ₱154

$1.79 €1.52

43.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 ₱154

$2.05 €1.74

25.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₱58.2

$1.94 €1.64

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱46.22

$0.81 €0.69

-4.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₱196

$6.65 €5.65

-50.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 ₱410

$5.79 €4.91

18.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱69.3

$1.33 €1.13

-12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₱139

$2.91 €2.47

-19.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.49

$2.35 €1.99

-88.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.33 ₱918

$45.70 €38.80

-66.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱52.4

$4.20 €3.57

-79.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱13.67

$0.81 €0.69

-71.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 ₱162

$18.70 €15.88

-85.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱68.6

$2.09 €1.78

-44.98%

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

$30.7K ₱1.8M

$34.6K €29.4K

-11.24%

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

$27.0K ₱1.6M

$39.7K €33.7K

-31.87%

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

$96.4 ₱5,774

$146 €124

-33.90%

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

$34.40 ₱2,060

$20.84 €17.69

65.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 ₱1,757

$39.78 €33.77

-26.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.83 ₱2,026

$48.58 €41.25

-30.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.29 ₱497

$18.85 €16.00

-56.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ₱346

$9.07 €7.70

-36.27%

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

$234 ₱14.0K

$618 €525

-62.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,897 ₱233.4K

$16.2K €13.7K

-75.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 ₱3,207

$105 €88.8

-48.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.90 ₱1,372

$40.54 €34.42

-43.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,586

$93.8 €79.6

-18.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.2 ₱3,367

$123 €104

-54.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 ₱30.5K

$1,604 €1,362

-68.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 ₱13.0K

$1,260 €1,070

-82.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 ₱48.1K

$3,065 €2,602

-73.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₱23.2K

$2,008 €1,705

-80.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,082 ₱184.6K

$7,702 €6,539

-59.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,952 ₱116.9K

$4,367 €3,707

-55.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 ₱22.9K

$1,638 €1,391

-76.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

109.97%

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

Last update for Cebu: April 14, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $510 in Cebu and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 329% 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 in Cebu vs $64 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $268 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 159% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Lisbon earns 329% less. 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: $510 in Cebu versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $873 per month in Cebu versus $2,258 in Lisbon – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 198% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $873 in Cebu versus $2,258 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Lisbon 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.