Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Molo

For one person, living is cheaper in Molo: $544 a month against $915 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Molo
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Molo Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$915

/mo nomad

Molo

🇰🇪 Kenya

$544

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Molo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Cebu versus $544 in Molo.

Cebu $915
Molo $544

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Cebu versus $890 in Molo.

Cebu $1,418
Molo $890

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,921 in Cebu versus $1,236 in Molo.

Cebu $1,921
Molo $1,236

Living in Cebu is roughly 68% more expensive than in Molo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Molo 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ₱192

$6.45 KES 836

-52.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ₱1,511

$34.28 KES 4,445

-29.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 ₱251

$6.41 KES 832

-37.75%

Cappuccino

$2.50 ₱157

$2.63 KES 341

-4.94%

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

$1.54 ₱97.1

$0.62 KES 80.5

148.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.37

$0.59 KES 76.7

-15.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.26 KES 293

-21.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱136

$2.77 KES 359

-21.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₱126

$0.84 KES 109

138.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ₱86.2

$0.53 KES 69.0

158.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.9

$1.89 KES 245

-45.50%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.69 KES 218

20.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ₱642

$10.45 KES 1,355

-2.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 ₱280

$6.47 KES 839

-31.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 ₱483

$6.47 KES 839

18.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$3.27 KES 424

1.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₱91.8

$1.05 KES 136

39.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₱146

$2.06 KES 267

12.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱94.0

$1.10 KES 143

35.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

$1.11 KES 143

110.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$1.06 KES 137

83.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$0.73 KES 95.1

58.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.89

$0.78 KES 101

-12.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱188

$3.65 KES 474

-18.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 ₱393

$11.59 KES 1,502

-46.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.3

$2.23 KES 289

-44.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$2.73 KES 354

-36.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 ₱777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.96

$1.51 KES 195

-47.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.86

$1.57 KES 204

-85.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ₱286

$2.90 KES 376

56.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$1.56 KES 202

-15.38%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$21.4K KES 2.8M

-1.92%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

-4.38%

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

$119 ₱7,464

$55.8 KES 7,233

112.53%

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

$14.22 ₱896

$15.36 KES 1,991

-7.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.47 ₱1,730

$34.45 KES 4,466

-20.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.31 ₱2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.50 ₱409

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱340

$7.82 KES 1,014

-30.95%

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

$276 ₱17.4K

$249 KES 32.2K

11.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,866 ₱495.3K

$12.3K KES 1.6M

-36.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 ₱3,108

$28.41 KES 3,684

73.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.58 ₱1,548

$29.28 KES 3,796

-16.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,825

$71.0 KES 9,201

7.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 ₱3,706

$59.2 KES 7,675

-0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ₱19.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₱67.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,870 ₱180.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱118.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ₱21.1K

$386 KES 50.1K

-13.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

14.71

-51.05%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Molo: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$305 33.3%

Molo

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.9%

Molo

$205 37.7% 2.2% $4.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$160 17.5%

Molo

$106 19.4% 34.1% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.3%

Molo

$85 15.5% 10.3% $9.7

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Molo

$124 22.8% 41.4% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$43 4.7%

Molo

$16 * 2.9% 63.7% $27

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Molo

$9.4 * 1.7% 38.2% $5.8

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

Cost Breakdown

Molo pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $34.00 in Molo. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $205, with Molo cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇰🇪 Molo

🕒 Local time

19:38 7:38 PM

14:38 2:38 PM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

48,356

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Molo 9,810 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Molo

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 Molo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Molo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Cebu versus $544 in Molo – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Molo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Molo 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 Molo 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 Molo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.