For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,455 in Lublin, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 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 Lublin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,455 in Lublin.
Cebu $934
Lublin $1,455
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $2,045 in Lublin.
Cebu $1,415
Lublin $2,045
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $2,634 in Lublin.
Cebu $1,896
Lublin $2,634
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 36% less than in Lublin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Lublin is 9% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Lublin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03₱190
$9.09zł 35.54
-66.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48₱1,473
$39.05zł 153
-39.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.09₱256
$7.88zł 30.80
-48.10%
Cappuccino
$2.52₱158
$2.99zł 11.70
-15.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54₱96.9
$1.95zł 7.64
-21.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49₱30.98
$1.53zł 5.98
-67.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.79₱112
$2.72zł 10.62
-34.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26₱142
$3.25zł 12.70
-30.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Lublin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.95₱122
$0.99zł 3.86
96.97%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43₱89.7
$1.31zł 5.14
9.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02₱63.8
$1.54zł 6.01
-33.77%
Eggs
$2.06₱129
$3.43zł 13.39
-39.94%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.81₱615
$8.82zł 34.48
11.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.61₱289
$6.27zł 24.51
-26.48%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.70₱483
$11.03zł 43.11
-30.19%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31₱207
$1.16zł 4.54
185.34%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45₱90.9
$1.72zł 6.71
-15.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$1.76zł 6.88
34.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.54₱96.4
$2.51zł 9.81
-38.65%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$0.86zł 3.36
174.42%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99₱125
$1.05zł 4.10
89.52%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.15₱72.1
$1.40zł 5.49
-17.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67₱42.15
$0.68zł 2.66
-1.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱188
$5.68zł 22.19
-47.18%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.35₱398
$6.53zł 25.52
-2.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31₱81.9
$1.10zł 4.32
19.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73₱108
$1.70zł 6.64
1.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Lublin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.78
$0.92zł 3.61
-72.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.65₱793
$31.12zł 122
-59.35%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.74₱46.32
$2.03zł 7.94
-63.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.21₱13.11
$0.79zł 3.10
-73.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.33₱271
$10.28zł 40.17
-57.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33₱83.5
$1.61zł 6.28
-17.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K₱1.4M
$30.6Kzł 119.8K
-28.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K₱1.2M
$26.8Kzł 104.9K
-27.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Lublin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$121₱7,563
$297zł 1,161
-59.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45₱907
$9.81zł 38.36
47.30%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29₱1,774
$17.90zł 70.0
58.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Lublin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.68₱2,050
$31.33zł 122
4.31%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39₱401
$23.65zł 92.4
-72.98%
Cinema Ticket
$5.46₱342
$8.15zł 31.86
-33.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Lublin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$273₱17.1K
$510zł 1,994
-46.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,156₱511.5K
$5,257zł 20.5K
55.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Lublin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57₱3,109
$82.9zł 324
-40.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87₱1,560
$41.35zł 162
-39.85%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.6₱4,804
$91.3zł 357
-16.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3₱3,717
$103zł 403
-42.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Lublin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$506₱31.7K
$706zł 2,761
-28.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$541zł 2,113
-42.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,052₱66.0K
$831zł 3,248
26.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$619₱38.8K
$769zł 3,007
-19.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,915₱182.9K
$3,577zł 14.0K
-18.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,867₱117.1K
$2,291zł 8,957
-18.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Lublin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$341₱21.4K
$1,458zł 5,697
-76.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
7.02
2.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026
Last update for Lublin: October 5, 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%
Lublin
$541 36.7% ↑ 74.7%$231
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210 22.7%
Lublin
$210 14.2% ↓ 0.2%$0.5
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163 17.7%
Lublin
$325 22% ↑ 98.9%$162
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95 10.2%
Lublin
$143 9.7% ↑ 51.6%$49
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Lublin
$166 11.3% ↑ 88.2%$78
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.7%
Lublin
$48 3.2% ↑ 9.2%$4
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$15 1.7%
Lublin
$41 2.8% ↑ 164%$25
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$619 32.4%
Lublin
$769 29.1% ↑ 24.3%$150
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$493 25.8%
Lublin
$492 18.6% ↓ 0.1%$0.6
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$178 9.3%
Lublin
$335 12.7% ↑ 88.2%$157
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$210 11%
Lublin
$319 12.1% ↑ 51.6%$108
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$288 15.1%
Lublin
$526 19.9% ↑ 82.3%$237
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Lublin
$119 4.5% ↑ 27.1%$25
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$31 1.6%
Lublin
$83 3.2% ↑ 166%$52
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $706 in Lublin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lublin pays 327% 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 $39.00 in Lublin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $210 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 Lublin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lublin cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, eating out, and leisure. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Lublin?
On paper, salaries run 327% lower in Lublin. 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 Lublin?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $706 in Lublin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Lublin?
All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $1,455 in Lublin – a 56% 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 146% less than in Lublin. 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 Lublin?
At $934 in Cebu versus $1,455 in Lublin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Lublin. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Lublin more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lublin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Lublin?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Lublin 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 56% less than in Lublin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.