Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Maiduguri

For one person, living is cheaper in Maiduguri: $172 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most 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

Maiduguri

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$172

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Maiduguri

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $172 in Maiduguri.

Cebu $918
Maiduguri $172

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $288 in Maiduguri.

Cebu $1,409
Maiduguri $288

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $403 in Maiduguri.

Cebu $1,900
Maiduguri $403

Living in Cebu is roughly 434% more expensive than in Maiduguri, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Maiduguri 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱195

$0.55 ₦735

461.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$1.90 ₦2,521

106.32%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$0.86 ₦1,138

191.86%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.25 ₦331

536.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.45

$0.18 ₦240

194.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.5

$1.03 ₦1,368

32.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$1.99 ₦2,643

-49.25%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.76 ₦2,341

15.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$5.15 ₦6,847

-14.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$3.97 ₦5,286

91.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$4.06 ₦5,397

-18.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$1.02 ₦1,360

47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$1.54 ₦2,045

53.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$1.02 ₦1,355

86.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.42 ₦554

183.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.73

$0.31 ₦412

103.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱380

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 ₱15.87

$0.39 ₦525

-35.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.64

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$0.25 ₦332

424.00%

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 ₱7,573

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

$14.00 ₱882

$8.04 ₦10.7K

74.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,735

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,036

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$8.05 ₦10.7K

-17.39%

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 ₱498.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,107

$20.39 ₦27.1K

141.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,590

$17.78 ₦23.6K

41.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,848

$25.34 ₦33.7K

203.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,603

$25.13 ₦33.4K

127.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

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 Maiduguri: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Maiduguri

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Maiduguri

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Maiduguri

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Maiduguri

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Maiduguri

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Maiduguri

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Maiduguri

–

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇳🇬 Maiduguri

🕒 Local time

05:26 5:26 AM

22:26 10:26 PM

7 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,197,497

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NGN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

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Between locations

Cebu Maiduguri 11,980 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Maiduguri

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 Maiduguri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maiduguri is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 434% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,377 in Cebu and $258 in Maiduguri 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 105% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $172 in Maiduguri – a 434% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Maiduguri 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 Maiduguri 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 Maiduguri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 434% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.