Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Mary

For one person, living is cheaper in Mary: $471 a month against $943 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 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

$943

/mo nomad

Mary

🇹🇲 Turkmenistan

$471

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Mary

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $943 in Cebu versus $471 in Mary.

Cebu $943
Mary $471

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,437 in Cebu versus $713 in Mary.

Cebu $1,437
Mary $713

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,930 in Cebu versus $956 in Mary.

Cebu $1,930
Mary $956

Living in Cebu is roughly 100% more expensive than in Mary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Mary 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 ₱244

$11.42 TMT 38.36

-66.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 ₱1,462

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 ₱246

$8.85 TMT 29.73

-55.93%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₱161

$8.48 TMT 28.48

-69.81%

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

$1.60 ₱101

$12.99 TMT 43.66

-87.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱32.02

$1.42 TMT 4.78

-64.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 ₱111

$14.23 TMT 47.82

-87.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱136

$11.73 TMT 39.40

-81.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₱125

$2.82 TMT 9.48

-29.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ₱86.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱59.8

Eggs

$2.02 ₱127

$7.07 TMT 23.74

-71.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 ₱606

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 ₱274

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱485

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱207

$2.33 TMT 7.83

41.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ₱79.7

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ₱95.3

$1.49 TMT 4.99

1.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱141

$2.07 TMT 6.94

7.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 ₱122

$1.79 TMT 6.02

7.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₱74.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₱40.92

$1.14 TMT 3.84

-42.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₱182

$17.64 TMT 59.3

-83.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱400

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱80.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₱103

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.24 ₱770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 ₱272

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₱86.7

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)

$19.3K ₱1.2M

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

$124 ₱7,814

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

$15.93 ₱1,003

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 ₱1,767

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.41 ₱2,103

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.40 ₱403

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 ₱368

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

$271 ₱17.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,060 ₱507.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.31 ₱3,041

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.56 ₱1,546

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 ₱4,855

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 ₱3,557

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₱31.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₱20.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$990 ₱62.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 ₱39.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,459 ₱280.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,030 ₱190.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 ₱21.6K

$216 TMT 726

58.59%

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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Mary: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$322 34.1%

Mary

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 21.8%

Mary

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$168 17.8%

Mary

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$95 10.1%

Mary

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$93 9.9%

Mary

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$45 4.8%

Mary

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.6%

Mary

–

Cost Breakdown

Cebu pays 59% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇹🇲 Mary

🕒 Local time

06:48 6:48 AM

03:48 3:48 AM

3 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

123,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Turkmenistani Manat TMT m

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 TMT = 0.298 USD

1 TMT = 0.265 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TMT, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 62.95 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.66 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Turkmenistani Manat exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.36 TMT (1 TMT = 0.298 USD). 1 EUR = 3.77 TMT (1 TMT = 0.265 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Mary 6,860 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Mary

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 Mary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mary is about 50% cheaper overall, especially in groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 59% 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 108% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $943 per month in Cebu versus $471 in Mary – Mary is about 50% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $471 in Mary versus $943 in Cebu, a $800 budget is realistic in Mary but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Mary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Mary are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Mary wins on affordability, Cebu on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.