Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Medina

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,364 in Medina, 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
Learn more

Cebu Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Medina
Learn more

Medina Living Index

Jump to prices

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Medina

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,364

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Medina

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,364 in Medina.

Cebu $934
Medina $1,364

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $1,816 in Medina.

Cebu $1,415
Medina $1,816

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $2,268 in Medina.

Cebu $1,896
Medina $2,268

Living in Cebu costs roughly 32% less than in Medina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Medina is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$5.53 SAR 20.75

-45.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

$32.09 SAR 120

-26.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$8.20 SAR 30.78

-50.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-6.67%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$0.76 SAR 2.84

102.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$0.25 SAR 0.95

96.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.49 SAR 5.61

30.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$0.92 SAR 3.44

55.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$2.32 SAR 8.70

-56.03%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$2.09 SAR 7.84

-1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$5.44 SAR 20.44

80.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$7.03 SAR 26.39

-34.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$12.49 SAR 46.90

-38.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$2.42 SAR 9.10

36.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$1.98 SAR 7.42

-26.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.29 SAR 8.60

3.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$1.55 SAR 5.83

-0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.36 SAR 5.12

73.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.37 SAR 5.14

45.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$0.93 SAR 3.49

23.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$0.71 SAR 2.68

-5.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$7.54 SAR 28.32

-60.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-76.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

$36.80 SAR 138

-65.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-45.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

$5.71 SAR 21.44

-24.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$0.64 SAR 2.41

107.81%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$41.8K SAR 157.0K

-47.94%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$20.7K SAR 77.5K

-6.07%

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

$121 ₱7,563

$149 SAR 558

-18.87%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$27.41 SAR 103

-47.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$90.7 SAR 341

-68.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$78.9 SAR 296

-58.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

$9.01 SAR 33.83

-29.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$13.51 SAR 50.7

-59.59%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$294 SAR 1,103

-6.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

$5,483 SAR 20.6K

48.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

$36.85 SAR 138

34.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

$54.4 SAR 204

-54.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

$67.0 SAR 252

14.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

$70.0 SAR 263

-15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

$570 SAR 2,139

-11.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$529 SAR 1,988

-41.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$779 SAR 2,926

34.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

$573 SAR 2,151

8.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

$2,309 SAR 8,670

26.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

$1,356 SAR 5,091

37.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

$1,244 SAR 4,671

-72.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

4.17

72.66%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Medina: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Medina

$529 39.2% 71.1% $220

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Medina

$191 14.1% 9.4% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Medina

$267 19.7% 63.3% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Medina

$103 7.6% 8.5% $8.1

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Medina

$105 7.8% 19.1% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Medina

$106 7.8% 143% $62

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Medina

$51 3.8% 229% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $570 in Medina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medina pays 265% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Cebu vs $32.00 in Medina. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $191, with Medina cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇸🇦 Medina

🕒 Local time

14:34 2:34 PM

09:34 9:34 AM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,100,093

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, 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).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.21 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Medina 8,960 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Medina

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 Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, eating out, and leisure. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 265% lower in Medina. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $570 in Medina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $1,364 in Medina – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 191% less than in Medina. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Cebu versus $1,364 in Medina, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Medina. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medina, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Medina 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Medina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.