Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $133 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$133

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Maharagama

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $133 in Maharagama.

Cebu $918
Maharagama $133

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $250 in Maharagama.

Cebu $1,409
Maharagama $250

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $367 in Maharagama.

Cebu $1,900
Maharagama $367

Living in Cebu is roughly 589% more expensive than in Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Maharagama 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$5.39 LKR 1,785

-42.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$20.20 LKR 6,690

19.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$6.82 LKR 2,260

-42.52%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.12 LKR 701

18.40%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.59 LKR 196

169.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.29 LKR 94.8

82.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.93 LKR 307

106.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.25 LKR 83.2

444.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$0.49 LKR 162

106.12%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.49 LKR 494

36.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

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

$0.44 LKR 146

75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.47 LKR 155

-51.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

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

$120 ₱7,569

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

$14.00 ₱882

$4.63 LKR 1,534

202.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$13.62 LKR 4,510

102.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

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

$275 ₱17.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

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

$197 LKR 65.3K

446.43%

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

$244 LKR 80.7K

42.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Cebu pays 42% 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 $20.00 in Maharagama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $20.00 per month, with Maharagama cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

16:42 4:42 PM

14:12 2:12 PM

2 h 30 min behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

196,400

💱 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 Maharagama 4,850 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Maharagama

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maharagama is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 589% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 945% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maharagama – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $24.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Maharagama 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 Maharagama 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 Maharagama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 589% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.