Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Mashhad

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $745 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 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
37

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index

Jump to prices

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Mashhad

🇮🇶 Iraq

$745

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Mashhad

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $745 in Mashhad.

Cebu $918
Mashhad $745

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,114 in Mashhad.

Cebu $1,409
Mashhad $1,114

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,483 in Mashhad.

Cebu $1,900
Mashhad $1,483

Living in Cebu is roughly 23% more expensive than in Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Mashhad 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$4.17 IQD 6,301

-25.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$29.37 IQD 44.4K

-17.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$6.73 IQD 10.2K

-41.75%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.67 IQD 4,034

-5.99%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.33 IQD 492

381.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.22 IQD 333

140.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$3.26 IQD 4,921

-45.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$3.37 IQD 5,091

-35.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.89 IQD 1,346

115.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.68 IQD 1,035

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$1.33 IQD 2,005

-24.06%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$0.82 IQD 1,242

147.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$3.36 IQD 5,071

193.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$1.97 IQD 2,981

122.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$3.09 IQD 4,668

145.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$1.01 IQD 1,521

226.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$0.92 IQD 1,385

51.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$0.91 IQD 1,373

156.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$0.68 IQD 1,026

120.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.56 IQD 845

321.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.60 IQD 900

216.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.29 IQD 432

310.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.21 IQD 322

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$0.83 IQD 1,254

261.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$11.88 IQD 17.9K

-49.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.98 IQD 2,989

-37.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.96 IQD 2,965

-10.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$0.46 IQD 690

-45.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$21.64 IQD 32.7K

-41.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$2.01 IQD 3,031

-61.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$1.30 IQD 1,965

-82.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$6.39 IQD 9,659

-30.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$0.53 IQD 805

147.17%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$16.8K IQD 25.4M

26.50%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$16.7K IQD 25.3M

14.51%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$192 IQD 289.6K

-37.28%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$17.37 IQD 26.2K

-19.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$36.33 IQD 54.9K

-24.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$34.10 IQD 51.5K

-5.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$10.02 IQD 15.1K

-43.61%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$147 IQD 221.6K

87.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$2,968 IQD 4.5M

166.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$25.05 IQD 37.9K

96.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$28.34 IQD 42.8K

-10.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$60.1 IQD 90.8K

28.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$41.28 IQD 62.4K

38.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$150 IQD 226.4K

233.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$118 IQD 178.6K

161.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$402 IQD 606.7K

168.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$286 IQD 432.6K

114.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$717 IQD 1.1M

302.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$639 IQD 965.4K

199.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

4.12

74.76%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Mashhad

$118 15.9% 61.7% $191

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Mashhad

$115 15.5% 44% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Mashhad

$245 32.9% 51.7% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Mashhad

$70 9.3% 25.9% $24

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Mashhad

$111 14.9% 25.5% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Mashhad

$54 7.3% 24.1% $11

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Mashhad

$32 4.3% 105% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $150 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $29.00 in Mashhad. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $115, with Mashhad cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇮🇶 Mashhad

🕒 Local time

03:50 3:50 AM

22:50 10:50 PM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

13,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Mashhad 8,640 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Mashhad

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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mashhad is cheaper overall, especially in groceries and clothing. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,377 in Cebu and $1,118 in Mashhad 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $150 in Mashhad. 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 $745 in Mashhad – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mashhad runs roughly 71% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

For families, Mashhad 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 Mashhad 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 Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.