Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Merignac

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,887 in Merignac, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 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
89

Cost of Living Index in Merignac
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Merignac Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Merignac

🇫🇷 France

$1,887

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Merignac

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,887 in Merignac.

Cebu $934
Merignac $1,887

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,423 in Cebu versus $2,897 in Merignac.

Cebu $1,423
Merignac $2,897

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,913 in Cebu versus $3,907 in Merignac.

Cebu $1,913
Merignac $3,907

Living in Cebu costs roughly 51% less than in Merignac, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 31% below, Merignac is 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 ₱242

$16.82 €15.11

-77.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.33 ₱1,491

$77.8 €69.8

-69.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.94 ₱252

$13.43 €12.07

-70.66%

Cappuccino

$2.54 ₱163

$3.96 €3.55

-35.86%

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

$1.57 ₱100

$2.93 €2.63

-46.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₱29.82

$1.38 €1.24

-65.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 ₱113

$7.44 €6.68

-76.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₱142

$6.63 €5.96

-66.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.17 €1.06

62.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱87.1

$1.98 €1.78

-31.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱59.8

$2.52 €2.26

-62.70%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱127

$3.49 €3.14

-42.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 ₱620

$13.55 €12.17

-28.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 ₱276

$14.70 €13.20

-70.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 ₱480

$20.03 €17.99

-62.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱211

$3.43 €3.08

-3.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 ₱87.5

$2.25 €2.02

-39.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱149

$3.29 €2.96

-28.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱95.4

$3.47 €3.12

-57.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱147

$2.27 €2.04

1.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₱120

$2.88 €2.59

-35.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱70.3

$1.37 €1.23

-19.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱40.36

$0.51 €0.46

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ₱183

$13.21 €11.86

-78.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ₱389

$8.92 €8.01

-31.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱81.4

$3.46 €3.11

-63.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱110

$3.40 €3.06

-49.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.99

$1.95 €1.75

-88.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 ₱788

$55.2 €49.56

-77.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱47.53

$2.29 €2.05

-67.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱14.08

$1.81 €1.63

-87.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 ₱273

$37.65 €33.82

-88.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱83.7

$2.18 €1.96

-39.91%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$35.0K €31.4K

-40.67%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$36.2K €32.5K

-47.31%

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

$118 ₱7,565

$222 €200

-46.73%

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

$15.76 ₱1,007

$14.09 €12.65

11.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.33 ₱1,810

$30.79 €27.66

-7.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.94 ₱2,105

$31.86 €28.62

3.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.49 ₱415

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 ₱348

$12.97 €11.65

-57.98%

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

$276 ₱17.6K

$797 €716

-65.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,789 ₱497.7K

$10.3K €9,244

-24.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 ₱3,078

$112 €101

-57.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.47 ₱1,564

$45.56 €40.93

-46.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 ₱4,810

$107 €96.1

-29.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 ₱3,707

$146 €131

-60.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 ₱30.5K

$862 €774

-44.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₱20.6K

$656 €589

-50.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 ₱61.5K

$1,599 €1,436

-39.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 ₱40.0K

$1,144 €1,028

-45.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,551 ₱290.8K

$3,985 €3,580

14.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,028 ₱193.5K

$3,034 €2,726

-0.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$333 ₱21.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

3.79

89.97%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 26, 2026

Last update for Merignac: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$322 34.5%

Merignac

$656 34.8% 104% $334

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$204 21.8%

Merignac

$357 18.9% 75.3% $153

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.4%

Merignac

$267 14.2% 64.4% $105

Eating Out

Cebu

$94 10.1%

Merignac

$290 15.4% 208% $196

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$93 9.9%

Merignac

$185 9.8% 99.5% $92

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Merignac

$58 3.1% 31.8% $14

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.6%

Merignac

$74 3.9% 393% $59

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Cebu and $862 in Merignac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23 in Cebu vs $78 in Merignac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $357 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇫🇷 Merignac

🕒 Local time

22:40 10:40 PM

15:40 3:40 PM

7 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

75,729

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 EUR = 1.11 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.11 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Merignac 11,750 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Merignac

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 Merignac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,401 in Cebu and $2,831 in Merignac 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: $477 in Cebu versus $862 in Merignac. 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 $1,887 in Merignac – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 78% less than in Merignac. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your 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 Merignac 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 51% less than in Merignac. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.