Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Meilen

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $3,372 in Meilen, rent and utilities included – about $29,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
163

Cost of Living Index in Meilen
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Meilen Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Meilen

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,372

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Meilen

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $3,372 in Meilen.

Cebu $918
Meilen $3,372

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $5,942 in Meilen.

Cebu $1,409
Meilen $5,942

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $8,512 in Meilen.

Cebu $1,900
Meilen $8,512

Living in Cebu costs roughly 73% less than in Meilen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Meilen is 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱195

$32.47 CHF 26.74

-90.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$122 CHF 101

-80.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$16.33 CHF 13.45

-76.00%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$6.31 CHF 5.19

-60.22%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$5.68 CHF 4.67

-72.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.45

$5.01 CHF 4.13

-89.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$8.46 CHF 6.97

-78.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$8.29 CHF 6.83

-73.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-13.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.5

$3.27 CHF 2.69

-58.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$3.78 CHF 3.11

-73.28%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$7.49 CHF 6.17

-72.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$26.56 CHF 21.87

-62.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$25.69 CHF 21.16

-82.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$40.25 CHF 33.15

-81.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$3.42 CHF 2.82

-3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$2.03 CHF 1.67

-31.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$2.67 CHF 2.20

-12.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$4.58 CHF 3.77

-67.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$1.96 CHF 1.61

20.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$2.16 CHF 1.78

-12.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$2.32 CHF 1.91

-48.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.73

$1.25 CHF 1.03

-49.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$11.03 CHF 9.09

-72.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱380

$13.25 CHF 10.91

-54.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$2.26 CHF 1.86

-45.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$3.23 CHF 2.66

-45.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.87

$4.59 CHF 3.78

-94.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$96.8 CHF 79.7

-86.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.64

$7.55 CHF 6.21

-89.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.54

$4.50 CHF 3.71

-94.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$88.0 CHF 72.5

-94.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$2.26 CHF 1.86

-42.04%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$38.7K CHF 31.9K

-45.07%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$39.4K CHF 32.5K

-51.43%

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

$120 ₱7,573

$235 CHF 194

-48.92%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$36.06 CHF 29.70

-61.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,735

$65.3 CHF 53.8

-57.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,036

$88.1 CHF 72.6

-63.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$44.50 CHF 36.65

-85.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$21.90 CHF 18.04

-74.20%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$2,816 CHF 2,319

-90.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.8K

$42.3K CHF 34.8K

-81.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,107

$137 CHF 113

-64.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,590

$59.2 CHF 48.77

-57.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,848

$144 CHF 118

-46.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,603

$174 CHF 143

-67.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$1,690 CHF 1,392

-70.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

$1,471 CHF 1,211

-79.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$2,831 CHF 2,332

-61.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.8K

$4,065 CHF 3,348

-84.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.8K

$15.8K CHF 13.0K

-81.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$11.9K CHF 9,812

-83.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$8,259 CHF 6,802

-95.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

1.72

318.60%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Meilen: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Meilen

$1.5K 43.6% 376% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Meilen

$570 16.9% 177% $364

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Meilen

$337 10% 108% $175

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Meilen

$231 6.9% 146% $137

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Meilen

$486 14.4% 451% $398

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Meilen

$132 3.9% 202% $88

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Meilen

$145 4.3% 833% $130

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $1,690 in Meilen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 2287% 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: $24.00 in Cebu vs $122 in Meilen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $570 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇨🇭 Meilen

🕒 Local time

00:25 12:25 AM

18:25 6:25 PM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

13,515

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Meilen 10,990 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Meilen

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 Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 267% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2287% lower in Meilen. 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: $500 in Cebu versus $1,690 in Meilen. 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 $3,372 in Meilen – a 267% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 666% less than in Meilen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $918 in Cebu versus $3,372 in Meilen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Meilen. 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 Meilen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Meilen 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 267% less than in Meilen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.