Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Montana

For one person, living is cheaper in Montana: $833 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in Montana
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Montana Living Index

Jump to prices

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Montana

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$833

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Montana

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $833 in Montana.

Cebu $918
Montana $833

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,339 in Montana.

Cebu $1,409
Montana $1,339

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,846 in Montana.

Cebu $1,900
Montana $1,846

Living in Cebu is roughly 10% more expensive than in Montana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Montana 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$9.04 BGN 15.83

-65.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,521

$36.16 BGN 63.3

-33.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱246

$9.85 BGN 17.24

-60.20%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱157

$1.39 BGN 2.43

80.58%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$1.38 BGN 2.42

15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.36

$1.11 BGN 1.94

-52.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.28 BGN 2.24

39.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱136

$1.01 BGN 1.77

114.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.69 BGN 2.96

13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.2

$1.00 BGN 1.76

36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.4

$2.10 BGN 3.68

-51.90%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱127

$2.72 BGN 4.77

-25.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱620

$9.73 BGN 17.03

1.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱276

$3.25 BGN 5.68

35.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱478

$12.63 BGN 22.10

-39.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱207

$1.21 BGN 2.12

172.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.6

$1.78 BGN 3.12

-21.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$1.76 BGN 3.07

32.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.1

$2.56 BGN 4.49

-41.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.70 BGN 1.23

237.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.93 BGN 1.62

104.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.7

$0.90 BGN 1.58

32.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.62

$0.49 BGN 0.86

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$3.68 BGN 6.44

-18.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$6.31 BGN 11.04

-4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.5

$0.89 BGN 1.55

38.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.12 BGN 1.97

56.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

$0.89 BGN 1.56

-71.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱794

$24.29 BGN 42.50

-47.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.51

$0.66 BGN 1.15

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.50

$0.47 BGN 0.83

-51.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱280

$10.36 BGN 18.12

-56.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.6

$1.58 BGN 2.76

-17.09%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$19.6K BGN 34.3K

8.38%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$23.7K BGN 41.5K

-19.17%

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

$120 ₱7,553

$99.8 BGN 175

20.51%

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

$14.00 ₱880

$18.72 BGN 32.77

-25.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,730

$8.52 BGN 14.90

223.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,031

$29.86 BGN 52.3

8.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱418

$17.20 BGN 30.10

-61.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱355

$5.31 BGN 9.29

6.40%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$522 BGN 914

-47.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱497.4K

$5,479 BGN 9,589

44.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,099

$67.8 BGN 119

-27.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,586

$42.05 BGN 73.6

-39.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,835

$94.7 BGN 166

-18.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,593

$105 BGN 183

-45.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.4K

$214 BGN 374

133.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$160 BGN 280

93.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.7K

$404 BGN 707

166.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$304 BGN 532

102.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.3K

$1,329 BGN 2,326

117.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.4K

$1,078 BGN 1,886

77.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$992 BGN 1,737

-65.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

3.1

132.26%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Montana: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Montana

$160 19.2% 48.2% $149

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Montana

$199 23.9% 3.4% $6.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Montana

$127 15.2% 21.5% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Montana

$139 16.7% 48.2% $45

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Montana

$137 16.4% 55.1% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Montana

$40 4.9% 7.2% $3.1

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Montana

$31 3.7% 98.3% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $214 in Montana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montana pays 187% 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 $36.00 in Montana. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $199, with Montana cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇧🇬 Montana

🕒 Local time

06:04 6:04 AM

01:04 1:04 AM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

44,502

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.51 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 62.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.33 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Montana 10,070 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Montana

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 Montana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montana is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and utilities. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 187% lower in Montana. 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 $214 in Montana. 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 $833 in Montana – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montana runs roughly 92% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

For families, Montana 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 Montana 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 Montana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.