Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Madona

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $915 a month against $1,128 in Madona, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. The total is higher in Madona despite lower rent and utilities.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$915
/mo nomad
Madona
🇱🇻 Latvia
$1,128
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Madona

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Cebu versus $1,128 in Madona.

  • Cebu $915
  • Madona $1,128

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Cebu versus $1,730 in Madona.

  • Cebu $1,418
  • Madona $1,730

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,921 in Cebu versus $2,331 in Madona.

  • Cebu $1,921
  • Madona $2,331

Living in Cebu costs roughly 19% less than in Madona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Madona 17% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Madona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.05 ₱192
$16.87 €15.00
-81.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.00 ₱1,511
$66.8 €59.4
-64.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.99 ₱251
$9.28 €8.25
-57.00%
Cappuccino
$2.50 ₱157
$3.75 €3.33
-33.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₱97.1
$1.57 €1.40
-1.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ₱31.37
$1.20 €1.06
-58.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$5.60 €4.98
-68.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱136
$4.91 €4.37
-55.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Madona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.00 ₱126
$1.20 €1.07
66.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.37 ₱86.2
$1.48 €1.32
-7.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.03 ₱64.9
$2.48 €2.21
-58.47%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$3.60 €3.20
-43.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.20 ₱642
$10.34 €9.20
-1.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.45 ₱280
$8.48 €7.54
-47.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.67 ₱483
$13.57 €12.07
-43.48%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 ₱208
$2.09 €1.86
58.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 ₱91.8
$1.77 €1.57
-17.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.32 ₱146
$2.49 €2.21
-6.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.49 ₱94.0
$3.21 €2.85
-53.58%
Potato (1kg)
$2.34 ₱147
$0.82 €0.73
185.37%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 ₱122
$0.90 €0.80
115.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 ₱73.0
$1.74 €1.55
-33.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 ₱42.89
$0.87 €0.78
-21.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.99 ₱188
$6.85 €6.09
-56.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.24 ₱393
$7.64 €6.79
-18.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.3
$2.02 €1.80
-39.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 ₱109
$2.09 €1.86
-17.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Madona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 ₱14.36
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.34 ₱777
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.79 ₱49.96
$3.42 €3.05
-76.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 ₱13.86
$0.98 €0.87
-77.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.54 ₱286
$17.80 €15.83
-74.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 ₱82.9
$2.08 €1.85
-36.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ₱1.3M
$26.9K €23.9K
-21.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K ₱1.2M
$30.3K €27.0K
-35.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Madona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$119 ₱7,464
$365 €325
-67.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.22 ₱896
$19.58 €17.42
-27.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.47 ₱1,730
$19.97 €17.76
37.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Madona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.31 ₱2,034
$28.19 €25.07
14.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.50 ₱409
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.40 ₱340
$5.53 €4.92
-2.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Madona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$276 ₱17.4K
$668 €594
-58.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,866 ₱495.3K
$17.9K €15.9K
-56.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Madona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.37 ₱3,108
$69.9 €62.2
-29.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.58 ₱1,548
$51.0 €45.37
-51.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.6 ₱4,825
$86.8 €77.2
-11.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.9 ₱3,706
$138 €123
-57.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Madona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$503 ₱31.7K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$305 ₱19.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 ₱67.7K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$632 ₱39.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,870 ₱180.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,877 ₱118.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Madona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$336 ₱21.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
4.77
50.94%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Madona: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$305
Madona
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210
Madona
$264 25.7% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$160
Madona
$405 153% $244
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Madona
$155 65% $61
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Madona
$257 193% $169
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$43
Madona
$39 8.9% $3.9
Getting Around
Cebu
$15
Madona
$8.3 * 45.2% $6.9

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $67.0 in Madona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $264 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇱🇻 Madona
🕒 Local time
07:45 7:45 AM
02:45 2:45 AM
5 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
7,800
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Madona 9,510 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Madona

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 Madona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Madona cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,372 in Cebu and $1,692 in Madona to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Cebu and in Madona?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Madona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Madona?
All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Cebu versus $1,128 in Madona – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cebu or Madona?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cebu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Cebu or Madona more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Madona, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Madona?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Madona 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 23% less than in Madona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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