Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Mosul

For one person, living is cheaper in Mosul: $566 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
27

Cost of Living Index in Mosul
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Mosul Living Index

Jump to prices

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Mosul

🇮🇶 Iraq

$566

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Mosul

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $566 in Mosul.

Cebu $918
Mosul $566

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $893 in Mosul.

Cebu $1,409
Mosul $893

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,220 in Mosul.

Cebu $1,900
Mosul $1,220

Living in Cebu is roughly 62% more expensive than in Mosul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Mosul 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱195

$3.18 IQD 4,811

-2.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$16.47 IQD 24.9K

47.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$5.38 IQD 8,124

-27.14%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$1.44 IQD 2,173

74.31%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.37 IQD 555

329.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.45

$0.16 IQD 247

231.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.35 IQD 2,035

31.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$1.31 IQD 1,975

65.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.73 IQD 1,097

163.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.5

$0.67 IQD 1,013

102.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$1.13 IQD 1,708

-10.62%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.30 IQD 1,968

56.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$3.17 IQD 4,791

211.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$3.64 IQD 5,493

20.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$10.17 IQD 15.4K

-25.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$0.59 IQD 898

459.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$0.93 IQD 1,408

49.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$0.59 IQD 894

294.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$0.46 IQD 694

226.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.41 IQD 617

475.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.41 IQD 622

363.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.34 IQD 513

250.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.73

$0.51 IQD 777

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$1.68 IQD 2,542

78.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱380

$6.71 IQD 10.1K

-10.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.41 IQD 2,137

-12.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.69 IQD 2,550

3.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.87

$0.32 IQD 482

-21.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$73.3 IQD 110.8K

-82.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.64

$1.30 IQD 1,965

-40.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.54

$1.35 IQD 2,035

-82.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$4.07 IQD 6,149

9.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$0.47 IQD 716

178.72%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$14.6K IQD 22.1M

45.43%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$17.0K IQD 25.6M

12.82%

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

$120 ₱7,573

$75.2 IQD 113.7K

59.80%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$11.88 IQD 17.9K

17.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,735

$24.08 IQD 36.4K

14.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,036

$20.96 IQD 31.7K

54.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$22.55 IQD 34.1K

-70.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$8.49 IQD 12.8K

-33.45%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$168 IQD 254.0K

63.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.8K

$2,769 IQD 4.2M

185.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,107

$10.89 IQD 16.5K

352.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,590

$16.77 IQD 25.3K

50.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,848

$23.01 IQD 34.8K

234.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,603

$22.21 IQD 33.6K

157.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$143 IQD 215.7K

249.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

$103 IQD 155.2K

200.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$252 IQD 381.5K

326.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.8K

$247 IQD 373.4K

148.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.8K

$722 IQD 1.1M

299.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$815 IQD 1.2M

135.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$410 IQD 618.8K

-15.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

2.53

184.58%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Mosul: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Mosul

$103 18.1% 66.7% $206

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Mosul

$129 22.7% 37.5% $77

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Mosul

$111 19.6% 31.3% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Mosul

$33 5.8% 65.1% $61

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Mosul

$70 12.4% 20.3% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Mosul

$38 6.7% 13% $5.7

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Mosul

$83 14.6% 431% $67

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $143 in Mosul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mosul pays 18% 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 $16.00 in Mosul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $129 per month, with Mosul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇮🇶 Mosul

🕒 Local time

16:50 4:50 PM

11:50 11:50 AM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,683,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, 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).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Mosul 8,510 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Mosul

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 Mosul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mosul is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Mosul. 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 $143 in Mosul. 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 $566 in Mosul – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mosul runs roughly 480% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Mosul gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Mosul 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 Mosul 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 Mosul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.