Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Muscat

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,565 in Muscat, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Muscat
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Muscat Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Muscat

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,565

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Muscat

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,565 in Muscat.

Cebu $934
Muscat $1,565

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $2,341 in Muscat.

Cebu $1,415
Muscat $2,341

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $3,116 in Muscat.

Cebu $1,896
Muscat $3,116

Living in Cebu costs roughly 40% less than in Muscat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Muscat is 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱191

$5.23 OMR 2.01

-42.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,476

$39.68 OMR 15.27

-40.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱257

$7.64 OMR 2.94

-46.47%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$4.97 OMR 1.91

-49.30%

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

$1.54 ₱97.2

$0.85 OMR 0.33

81.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.06

$0.27 OMR 0.10

81.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱113

$12.92 OMR 4.97

-86.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$13.23 OMR 5.09

-82.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$2.26 OMR 0.87

-13.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.9

$1.18 OMR 0.45

21.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$1.89 OMR 0.73

-46.03%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$2.91 OMR 1.12

-29.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱617

$7.23 OMR 2.78

35.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱290

$6.86 OMR 2.64

-32.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱484

$10.63 OMR 4.09

-27.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$3.66 OMR 1.41

-9.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

$1.95 OMR 0.75

-25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.40 OMR 0.92

-1.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

$1.26 OMR 0.48

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.22 OMR 0.47

93.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.27 OMR 0.49

56.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.3

$1.86 OMR 0.72

-38.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.26

$0.70 OMR 0.27

-4.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$6.36 OMR 2.45

-52.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱399

$15.54 OMR 5.98

-59.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.1

$6.00 OMR 2.31

-78.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-83.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

$1.29 OMR 0.50

-80.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱796

$77.2 OMR 29.70

-83.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.44

$3.30 OMR 1.27

-77.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$2.56 OMR 0.99

-91.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$7.82 OMR 3.01

-44.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

$0.63 OMR 0.24

111.11%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$25.7K OMR 9,904

-15.41%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$23.0K OMR 8,861

-15.74%

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

$121 ₱7,583

$177 OMR 68.1

-31.89%

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

$14.45 ₱909

$30.49 OMR 11.74

-52.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,779

$71.6 OMR 27.56

-60.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,055

$61.1 OMR 23.53

-46.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱402

$29.78 OMR 11.46

-78.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱343

$10.45 OMR 4.02

-47.75%

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

$273 ₱17.2K

$282 OMR 108

-3.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱512.9K

$10.4K OMR 4,003

-21.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,117

$57.6 OMR 22.17

-13.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,564

$43.41 OMR 16.71

-42.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,817

$91.2 OMR 35.11

-16.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,727

$85.9 OMR 33.05

-30.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.8K

$690 OMR 265

-26.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

$453 OMR 174

-31.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.1K

$1,292 OMR 497

-18.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.9K

$819 OMR 315

-24.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱183.4K

$2,815 OMR 1,084

3.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.4K

$1,609 OMR 619

16.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.5K

$1,651 OMR 636

-79.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

5.25

37.14%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Muscat: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Muscat

$453 29.3% 46.4% $144

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Muscat

$291 18.8% 38.4% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Muscat

$279 18% 70.9% $116

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Muscat

$125 8.1% 32.2% $31

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Muscat

$220 14.2% 149% $132

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Muscat

$82 5.3% 88.1% $38

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Muscat

$98 6.4% 537% $83

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $690 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 384% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $40.00 in Muscat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $291 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇴🇲 Muscat

🕒 Local time

14:18 2:18 PM

10:18 10:18 AM

4 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,090,797 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.432 OMR (1 OMR = 2.32 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Muscat 7,070 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Muscat

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 Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 384% lower in Muscat. 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: $506 in Cebu versus $690 in Muscat. 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 $1,565 in Muscat – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 510% less than in Muscat. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Cebu versus $1,565 in Muscat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Muscat, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Muscat 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 68% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.