Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Malindi

For one person, living is cheaper in Malindi: $502 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Malindi
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Malindi Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Malindi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$502

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Malindi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $502 in Malindi.

Cebu $934
Malindi $502

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $787 in Malindi.

Cebu $1,415
Malindi $787

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $1,072 in Malindi.

Cebu $1,896
Malindi $1,072

Living in Cebu is roughly 86% more expensive than in Malindi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Malindi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$2.06 KES 267

47.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

$23.42 KES 3,038

0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$10.55 KES 1,369

-61.23%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$3.58 KES 465

-29.61%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$0.98 KES 128

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$0.42 KES 54.1

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$2.32 KES 301

-22.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$3.24 KES 420

-30.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$0.94 KES 122

107.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$0.53 KES 68.5

169.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$1.22 KES 158

-16.39%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$1.82 KES 236

13.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$11.22 KES 1,455

-12.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$5.57 KES 723

-17.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$5.03 KES 652

53.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$2.18 KES 283

51.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$0.79 KES 102

83.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.82 KES 236

29.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$0.70 KES 90.7

120.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.66 KES 85.6

257.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$0.66 KES 85.5

201.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$0.57 KES 73.5

101.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$0.43 KES 55.4

55.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$4.71 KES 611

-36.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$7.82 KES 1,014

-18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$2.02 KES 262

-35.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$2.87 KES 372

-39.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

$3.09 KES 401

-76.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

$1.76 KES 228

-88.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

$4.61 KES 598

-6.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$1.38 KES 179

-3.62%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$11.9K KES 1.5M

83.26%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$11.9K KES 1.5M

63.50%

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

$121 ₱7,563

$55.5 KES 7,192

117.46%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$12.96 KES 1,681

11.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$30.24 KES 3,922

-6.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$38.98 KES 5,055

-16.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$10.71 KES 1,389

-49.02%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$85.2 KES 11.1K

220.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

$5,401 KES 700.5K

51.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

$13.30 KES 1,725

272.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

$13.46 KES 1,746

84.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

$22.81 KES 2,959

235.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

$46.96 KES 6,091

26.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$393 KES 50.9K

167.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

-44.62%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Malindi: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Malindi

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Malindi

$172 34.3% 18.3% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Malindi

$99 19.7% 39.6% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Malindi

$43 8.7% 54.1% $51

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Malindi

$115 22.9% 29.9% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Malindi

$60 12.1% 38.5% $17

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Malindi

$12 * 2.4% 23.1% $3.6

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $23.00 in Cebu vs $23.00 in Malindi. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $172, with Malindi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇰🇪 Malindi

🕒 Local time

12:53 12:53 PM

07:53 7:53 AM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

117,735

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.87 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, 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).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 145 KES (1,000 KES = 6.87 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Malindi 9,390 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Malindi

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 Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malindi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and transport. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,401 in Cebu and $754 in Malindi 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 22% 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 $502 in Malindi – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Malindi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Malindi 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 Malindi 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 Malindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.