Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Negombo

For one person, living is cheaper in Negombo: $402 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Negombo
Learn more

Negombo Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Negombo

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$402

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Negombo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $402 in Negombo.

Cebu $918
Negombo $402

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $649 in Negombo.

Cebu $1,409
Negombo $649

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $897 in Negombo.

Cebu $1,900
Negombo $897

Living in Cebu is roughly 129% more expensive than in Negombo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Negombo 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$4.48 LKR 1,483

-31.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$16.63 LKR 5,508

45.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$7.59 LKR 2,516

-48.35%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$1.23 LKR 406

104.07%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.69 LKR 228

130.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.25 LKR 82.5

112.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.15 LKR 712

-17.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$2.95 LKR 978

-26.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.57 LKR 521

22.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.53 LKR 174

156.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$0.74 LKR 245

36.49%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.64 LKR 543

23.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$14.01 LKR 4,642

-29.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$4.12 LKR 1,366

6.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$6.00 LKR 1,986

26.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$1.77 LKR 585

86.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$0.69 LKR 229

101.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$2.23 LKR 738

4.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$1.19 LKR 395

26.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.73 LKR 242

223.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.81 LKR 267

134.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.93 LKR 308

27.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.43 LKR 142

46.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$10.14 LKR 3,359

-70.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$13.52 LKR 4,480

-55.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.95 LKR 646

-36.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$3.01 LKR 997

-41.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$0.29 LKR 94.9

-13.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$0.38 LKR 125

102.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.37 LKR 124

-37.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$0.90 LKR 297

395.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.00 LKR 332

31.00%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$37.3K LKR 12.3M

-42.98%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$40.9K LKR 13.5M

-53.13%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$25.65 LKR 8,497

368.73%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$4.21 LKR 1,395

232.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$20.85 LKR 6,908

32.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$15.27 LKR 5,059

111.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$9.07 LKR 3,004

-26.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$2.45 LKR 813

130.61%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$37.97 LKR 12.6K

625.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$446 LKR 147.9K

1673.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$8.82 LKR 2,920

459.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$16.87 LKR 5,586

49.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$36.78 LKR 12.2K

109.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$24.22 LKR 8,023

136.17%

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

$180 LKR 59.7K

91.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

12.69

-43.26%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Negombo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Negombo

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Negombo

$194 48.4% 5.5% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Negombo

$51 12.6% 68.6% $111

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Negombo

$39 9.7% 58.5% $55

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Negombo

$94 23.4% 6.2% $5.5

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Negombo

$20 5% 53.7% $23

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Negombo

$3.4 * 0.8% 78.2% $12

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

Cost Breakdown

Cebu pays 92% 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 $17.00 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $194 per month, with Negombo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇱🇰 Negombo

🕒 Local time

21:05 9:05 PM

18:35 6:35 PM

2 h 30 min behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

142,449

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, 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).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Negombo 4,850 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Negombo

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 Negombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Negombo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 129% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 92% 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 6% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $402 in Negombo – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Negombo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Negombo 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 Negombo 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 Negombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.