Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Molde

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,231 in Molde, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Molde
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,231
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Molde

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $2,231 in Molde.

  • Cebu $918
  • Molde $2,231

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $3,464 in Molde.

  • Cebu $1,409
  • Molde $3,464

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $4,697 in Molde.

  • Cebu $1,900
  • Molde $4,697

Living in Cebu costs roughly 59% less than in Molde, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Molde is 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Molde
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09 ₱194
$17.10 NOK 161
-81.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22 ₱1,525
$96.2 NOK 905
-74.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.92 ₱247
$13.25 NOK 125
-70.42%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₱158
$4.11 NOK 38.70
-38.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₱100
$3.00 NOK 28.21
-47.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.43
$3.34 NOK 31.45
-84.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$12.71 NOK 120
-86.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱137
$11.27 NOK 106
-80.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Molde
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 ₱121
$2.91 NOK 27.37
-34.02%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱85.4
$4.17 NOK 39.22
-67.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.5
$3.92 NOK 36.87
-74.23%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$5.24 NOK 49.35
-61.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 ₱621
$17.98 NOK 169
-45.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₱277
$15.75 NOK 148
-72.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 ₱479
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ₱208
$3.32 NOK 31.29
-0.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.8
$3.10 NOK 29.20
-55.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$3.10 NOK 29.16
-24.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ₱94.3
$4.76 NOK 44.84
-68.49%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$2.45 NOK 23.05
-3.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ₱119
$2.35 NOK 22.11
-19.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₱74.9
$2.73 NOK 25.66
-56.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱39.71
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱189
$19.77 NOK 186
-84.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.03 ₱379
$23.12 NOK 218
-73.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.7
$4.23 NOK 39.78
-70.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₱110
$7.68 NOK 72.3
-77.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Molde
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.86
$5.02 NOK 47.24
-95.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.64 ₱796
$82.8 NOK 779
-84.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.77 ₱48.62
$15.41 NOK 145
-95.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.53
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 ₱281
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱82.8
$2.32 NOK 21.82
-43.53%
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)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Molde
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,569
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00 ₱882
$21.17 NOK 199
-33.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 ₱1,734
$84.9 NOK 800
-67.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Molde
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.33 ₱2,035
$57.6 NOK 542
-43.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 ₱419
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.65 ₱356
$18.48 NOK 174
-69.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Molde
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$275 ₱17.3K
$207 NOK 1,953
32.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,918 ₱498.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Molde
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ₱3,106
$108 NOK 1,021
-54.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ₱1,589
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ₱4,846
$135 NOK 1,272
-43.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2 ₱3,601
$157 NOK 1,482
-63.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Molde
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₱31.5K
$1,249 NOK 11.8K
-59.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$977 NOK 9,199
-68.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 ₱67.9K
$1,854 NOK 17.5K
-41.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$615 ₱38.7K
$1,666 NOK 15.7K
-63.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,886 ₱181.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,917 ₱120.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Molde
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$346 ₱21.8K
$4,256 NOK 40.1K
-91.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
4.8
50.00%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Molde: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Molde
$977 216% $668
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206
Molde
$417 * 103% $211
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162
Molde
$106 * 34.4% $56
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Molde
$180 * 92.1% $87
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Molde
$337 282% $249
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Molde
$95 117% $51
Getting Around
Cebu
$16
Molde
$118 * 660% $103

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $1,249 in Molde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Molde pays 1130% 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 $96.0 in Molde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $417 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇳🇴 Molde
🕒 Local time
00:13 12:13 AM
18:13 6:13 PM
6 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
32,920
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

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).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Molde 10,290 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Molde

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 Molde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Molde cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 143% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Molde?
On paper, salaries run 1130% lower in Molde. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Molde?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $1,249 in Molde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Molde?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $2,231 in Molde – a 143% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 555% less than in Molde. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Molde?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,231 in Molde, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Molde. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Molde more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Molde, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Molde?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Molde are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 143% less than in Molde. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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