Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Malabo

For one person, living is cheaper in Malabo: $673 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 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

$934

/mo nomad

Malabo

🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea

$673

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Malabo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $673 in Malabo.

Cebu $934
Malabo $673

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $1,117 in Malabo.

Cebu $1,415
Malabo $1,117

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $1,560 in Malabo.

Cebu $1,896
Malabo $1,560

Living in Cebu is roughly 39% more expensive than in Malabo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Malabo 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$8.70 FCFA 5,088

-65.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

$69.6 FCFA 40.7K

-66.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$8.65 FCFA 5,060

-52.72%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$4.79 FCFA 2,804

-47.39%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$0.84 FCFA 491

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$0.41 FCFA 240

19.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$1.69 FCFA 989

5.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$2.73 FCFA 1,596

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$1.75 FCFA 1,025

-41.71%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$3.70 FCFA 2,165

-44.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$6.75 FCFA 3,948

45.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$6.02 FCFA 3,522

-23.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$7.08 FCFA 4,142

8.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$2.37 FCFA 1,385

39.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$1.76 FCFA 1,027

-17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$4.47 FCFA 2,615

-32.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$1.40 FCFA 822

-6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$0.89 FCFA 521

94.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$1.74 FCFA 1,020

-85.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

$26.67 FCFA 15.6K

-52.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

$0.83 FCFA 485

-10.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

$0.90 FCFA 528

-76.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

$8.72 FCFA 5,103

-50.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$32.6K FCFA 19.1M

-33.16%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$29.1K FCFA 17.0M

-33.27%

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

$121 ₱7,563

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

$14.45 ₱907

$17.56 FCFA 10.3K

-17.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$17.07 FCFA 9,986

65.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$34.14 FCFA 20.0K

-4.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

$14.84 FCFA 8,685

-56.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$5.42 FCFA 3,173

0.74%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

$344 FCFA 201.4K

2269.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$223 FCFA 130.4K

38.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$346 FCFA 202.3K

204.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

$285 FCFA 166.7K

117.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

$841 FCFA 492.3K

246.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

$648 FCFA 378.9K

188.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.8

5.88%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Malabo: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Malabo

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Malabo

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Malabo

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Malabo

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Malabo

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Malabo

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Malabo

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $23.00 in Cebu vs $70.0 in Malabo. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $152, with Malabo cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇬🇶 Malabo

🕒 Local time

16:14 4:14 PM

09:14 9:14 AM

7 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

297,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Malabo 12,670 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Malabo

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 Malabo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malabo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and utilities. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,401 in Cebu and $1,009 in Malabo 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 39% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $673 in Malabo – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Malabo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Malabo 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 Malabo 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 Malabo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.