Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Mwanza

For one person, living is cheaper in Mwanza: $187 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

Jump to prices

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Mwanza

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$187

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Mwanza

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $187 in Mwanza.

Cebu $918
Mwanza $187

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $294 in Mwanza.

Cebu $1,409
Mwanza $294

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $401 in Mwanza.

Cebu $1,900
Mwanza $401

Living in Cebu is roughly 391% more expensive than in Mwanza, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Mwanza 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$2.48 TZS 6,494

24.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$15.34 TZS 40.2K

57.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$4.63 TZS 12.1K

-15.33%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.58 TZS 6,764

-2.71%

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

$1.59 ₱100

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.29 TZS 764

82.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$0.97 TZS 2,529

83.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$1.36 TZS 3,558

59.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.92 TZS 2,417

108.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$1.54 TZS 4,029

-11.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$0.93 TZS 2,447

8.60%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$2.05 TZS 5,361

-0.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$1.00 TZS 2,620

136.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$1.35 TZS 3,534

40.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.37 TZS 958

70.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.46 TZS 3,823

-10.27%

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

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

$120 ₱7,569

$66.8 TZS 174.9K

80.04%

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

$14.00 ₱882

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

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

$275 ₱17.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$192 TZS 502.1K

80.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Mwanza: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Mwanza

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Mwanza

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Mwanza

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Mwanza

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Mwanza

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Mwanza

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Mwanza

–

Cost Breakdown

Cebu pays 80% 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 $15.00 in Mwanza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $47.00 per month, with Mwanza cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇹🇿 Mwanza

🕒 Local time

23:53 11:53 PM

18:53 6:53 PM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,104,521

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TZS, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2,619 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD). 1 EUR = 2,944 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Mwanza 10,170 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Mwanza

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 Mwanza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mwanza is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 391% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 80% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 341% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mwanza – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $24.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Mwanza 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 Mwanza 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 Mwanza gentler on the wallet – expenses run 391% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.