For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,469 in Lodz, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 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 Lodz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,469 in Lodz.
Cebu $934
Lodz $1,469
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $2,141 in Lodz.
Cebu $1,415
Lodz $2,141
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $2,813 in Lodz.
Cebu $1,896
Lodz $2,813
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 36% less than in Lodz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Lodz is 10% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Lodz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03₱190
$9.77zł 38.19
-68.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48₱1,473
$47.41zł 185
-50.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.09₱256
$9.22zł 36.05
-55.64%
Cappuccino
$2.52₱158
$3.53zł 13.79
-28.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54₱96.9
$2.77zł 10.81
-44.40%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49₱30.98
$2.68zł 10.46
-81.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.79₱112
$4.49zł 17.54
-60.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26₱142
$5.00zł 19.54
-54.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Lodz
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.95₱122
$1.02zł 3.99
91.18%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43₱89.7
$1.07zł 4.19
33.64%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02₱63.8
$1.34zł 5.25
-23.88%
Eggs
$2.06₱129
$3.31zł 12.93
-37.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.81₱615
$10.76zł 42.07
-8.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.61₱289
$7.06zł 27.58
-34.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.70₱483
$11.96zł 46.74
-35.62%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31₱207
$1.15zł 4.48
187.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45₱90.9
$1.67zł 6.54
-13.17%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$2.31zł 9.05
2.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.54₱96.4
$2.96zł 11.59
-47.97%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$0.84zł 3.29
180.95%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99₱125
$0.91zł 3.56
118.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.15₱72.1
$1.32zł 5.17
-12.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67₱42.15
$0.59zł 2.29
13.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱188
$5.78zł 22.59
-48.10%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.35₱398
$6.72zł 26.25
-5.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31₱81.9
$1.16zł 4.52
12.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73₱108
$1.68zł 6.57
2.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Lodz
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.78
$1.16zł 4.55
-78.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.65₱793
$50.8zł 198
-75.09%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.74₱46.32
$1.57zł 6.14
-52.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.21₱13.11
$0.58zł 2.25
-63.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.33₱271
$9.01zł 35.20
-51.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33₱83.5
$1.62zł 6.35
-17.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K₱1.4M
$30.8Kzł 120.6K
-29.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K₱1.2M
$26.8Kzł 104.7K
-27.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Lodz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$121₱7,563
$309zł 1,206
-60.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45₱907
$8.67zł 33.89
66.67%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29₱1,774
$17.27zł 67.5
63.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Lodz
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.68₱2,050
$36.49zł 143
-10.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39₱401
$18.00zł 70.3
-64.50%
Cinema Ticket
$5.46₱342
$7.86zł 30.71
-30.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Lodz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$273₱17.1K
$514zł 2,010
-46.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,156₱511.5K
$10.3Kzł 40.1K
-20.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Lodz
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57₱3,109
$74.5zł 291
-33.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87₱1,560
$40.66zł 159
-38.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.6₱4,804
$89.0zł 348
-13.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3₱3,717
$96.2zł 376
-38.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Lodz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$506₱31.7K
$599zł 2,343
-15.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$456zł 1,784
-32.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,052₱66.0K
$1,091zł 4,265
-3.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$619₱38.8K
$810zł 3,167
-23.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,915₱182.9K
$3,158zł 12.3K
-7.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,867₱117.1K
$2,374zł 9,278
-21.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Lodz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$341₱21.4K
$1,605zł 6,275
-78.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
6.87
4.80%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026
Last update for Lodz: October 6, 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 33.5%
Lodz
$456 31.2% ↑ 47.5%$147
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210 22.7%
Lodz
$222 15.2% ↑ 5.6%$12
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163 17.7%
Lodz
$335 22.9% ↑ 105%$171
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95 10.2%
Lodz
$135 9.2% ↑ 42.8%$41
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Lodz
$202 13.8% ↑ 129%$114
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.7%
Lodz
$52 3.6% ↑ 19.7%$8.6
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$15 1.7%
Lodz
$60 4.1% ↑ 288%$44
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$619 32.4%
Lodz
$810 28.4% ↑ 30.9%$191
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$493 25.8%
Lodz
$523 18.3% ↑ 6%$30
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$178 9.3%
Lodz
$343 12% ↑ 93%$165
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$210 11%
Lodz
$300 10.5% ↑ 42.8%$90
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$288 15.1%
Lodz
$632 22.2% ↑ 119%$344
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Lodz
$122 4.3% ↑ 30.8%$29
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$31 1.6%
Lodz
$122 4.3% ↑ 289%$91
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $599 in Lodz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lodz pays 371% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $47.00 in Lodz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $222 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 Lodz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lodz cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Lodz?
On paper, salaries run 371% lower in Lodz. 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 Lodz?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $599 in Lodz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Lodz?
All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $1,469 in Lodz – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 301% less than in Lodz. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Lodz?
At $934 in Cebu versus $1,469 in Lodz, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Lodz. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Lodz more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lodz, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Lodz?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Lodz 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 57% less than in Lodz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.