Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Mahdia

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahdia: $557 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
27

Cost of Living Index in Mahdia
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Mahdia Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Mahdia

🇹🇳 Tunisia

$557

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Mahdia

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $557 in Mahdia.

Cebu $918
Mahdia $557

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $881 in Mahdia.

Cebu $1,409
Mahdia $881

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,206 in Mahdia.

Cebu $1,900
Mahdia $1,206

Living in Cebu is roughly 65% more expensive than in Mahdia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Mahdia 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$2.48 TND 7.44

24.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$20.01 TND 59.9

21.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$4.84 TND 14.49

-19.01%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$0.96 TND 2.89

161.46%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.57 TND 1.72

178.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.19 TND 0.56

178.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.03 TND 3.07

72.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$1.51 TND 4.52

43.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.43 TND 1.30

346.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.26 TND 0.78

423.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$1.38 TND 4.13

-26.81%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.53 TND 4.58

32.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$11.75 TND 35.19

-16.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$4.96 TND 14.87

-11.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$14.46 TND 43.29

-47.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$2.86 TND 8.56

15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$2.86 TND 8.55

-51.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$1.44 TND 4.32

61.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$0.72 TND 2.15

108.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.65 TND 1.94

263.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.34 TND 1.03

458.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.43 TND 1.29

176.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.31 TND 0.94

103.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$3.53 TND 10.56

-15.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$3.35 TND 10.04

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.63 TND 4.88

-24.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.25 TND 3.75

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$0.32 TND 0.95

-21.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$13.33 TND 39.92

-5.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$0.31 TND 0.93

148.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.26 TND 0.77

-11.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$0.88 TND 2.64

48.86%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$40.9K TND 122.5K

-48.04%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$40.1K TND 120.0K

-52.23%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$56.3 TND 169

113.44%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$7.15 TND 21.41

95.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$20.10 TND 60.2

37.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$20.52 TND 61.5

57.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$7.69 TND 23.03

-13.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$6.80 TND 20.36

-16.91%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$109 TND 326

152.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$985 TND 2,951

703.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$37.98 TND 114

29.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$32.80 TND 98.2

-23.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$76.9 TND 230

0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$23.51 TND 70.4

143.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$130 TND 390

283.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$100 TND 301

207.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$292 TND 875

268.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$175 TND 523

252.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$675 TND 2,022

327.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$201 TND 602

853.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$232 TND 695

49.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

10.33

-30.30%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Mahdia: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Mahdia

$100 18% 67.5% $208

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Mahdia

$188 33.8% 8.5% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Mahdia

$84 15% 48.3% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Mahdia

$77 13.8% 18% $17

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Mahdia

$57 10.3% 35.2% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Mahdia

$34 6.1% 21.8% $9.5

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Mahdia

$16 2.9% 4% $0.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $130 in Mahdia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 49% 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 Mahdia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $188 per month, with Mahdia cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇹🇳 Mahdia

🕒 Local time

10:56 10:56 AM

03:56 3:56 AM

7 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

79,545

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Tunisian Dinar TND د.ت

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 TND = 0.334 USD

1 TND = 0.297 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, 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).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Mahdia 11,340 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Mahdia

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 Mahdia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahdia is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $130 in Mahdia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $557 in Mahdia – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mahdia runs roughly 5% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

For families, Mahdia 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 Mahdia 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 Mahdia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.