Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Ongata Rongai

For one person, living is cheaper in Ongata Rongai: $571 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.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Ongata Rongai
🇰🇪 Kenya
$571
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Ongata Rongai

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $571 in Ongata Rongai.

  • Cebu $918
  • Ongata Rongai $571

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $880 in Ongata Rongai.

  • Cebu $1,409
  • Ongata Rongai $880

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,189 in Ongata Rongai.

  • Cebu $1,900
  • Ongata Rongai $1,189

Living in Cebu is roughly 61% more expensive than in Ongata Rongai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Ongata Rongai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09 ₱194
$6.38 KES 827
-51.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22 ₱1,525
$19.02 KES 2,465
27.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.92 ₱247
$6.23 KES 808
-37.08%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₱158
$1.97 KES 256
27.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₱100
$0.32 KES 41.56
396.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.43
$0.41 KES 52.8
29.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$2.35 KES 304
-24.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱137
$2.77 KES 359
-21.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Ongata Rongai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 ₱121
$0.45 KES 57.9
326.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱85.4
$0.48 KES 62.6
183.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.5
$1.58 KES 205
-36.08%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$1.35 KES 175
50.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 ₱621
$4.29 KES 556
129.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₱277
$3.46 KES 449
26.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 ₱479
$3.55 KES 460
114.08%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ₱208
$1.24 KES 161
166.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.8
$1.09 KES 142
27.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$1.13 KES 147
106.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ₱94.3
$0.61 KES 78.6
145.90%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$0.74 KES 95.5
218.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ₱119
$0.47 KES 61.4
304.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₱74.9
$0.73 KES 94.1
63.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱39.71
$0.44 KES 56.7
43.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱189
$2.30 KES 298
30.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.03 ₱379
$9.13 KES 1,184
-33.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.7
$2.28 KES 295
-46.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₱110
$2.82 KES 365
-37.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Ongata Rongai
Difference
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
$1.57 KES 204
-50.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.53
$1.53 KES 198
-84.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 ₱281
$2.94 KES 381
51.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱82.8
$1.62 KES 210
-19.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$21.6K KES 2.8M
-1.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$20.0K KES 2.6M
-4.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Ongata Rongai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,569
$55.0 KES 7,130
118.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00 ₱882
$14.94 KES 1,938
-6.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 ₱1,734
$34.88 KES 4,522
-21.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Ongata Rongai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.33 ₱2,035
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 ₱419
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.65 ₱356
$7.56 KES 980
-25.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Ongata Rongai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$275 ₱17.3K
$252 KES 32.7K
9.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,918 ₱498.5K
$12.6K KES 1.6M
-36.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Ongata Rongai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ₱3,106
$28.60 KES 3,709
72.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ₱1,589
$29.63 KES 3,841
-14.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ₱4,846
$68.8 KES 8,913
11.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2 ₱3,601
$58.7 KES 7,611
-2.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Ongata Rongai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₱31.5K
$152 KES 19.7K
228.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$116 KES 15.0K
166.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 ₱67.9K
$235 KES 30.5K
358.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$615 ₱38.7K
$235 KES 30.5K
161.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,886 ₱181.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,917 ₱120.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Ongata Rongai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$346 ₱21.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
14.71
-51.05%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ongata Rongai: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Ongata Rongai
$116 62.5% $193
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206
Ongata Rongai
$129 37.5% $77
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162
Ongata Rongai
$105 35.2% $57
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Ongata Rongai
$84 11% $10
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Ongata Rongai
$114 28.7% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Ongata Rongai
$15 * 65.3% $29
Getting Around
Cebu
$16
Ongata Rongai
$9.2 * 40.8% $6.4

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $152 in Ongata Rongai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $19.00 in Ongata Rongai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $129 per month, with Ongata Rongai cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇰🇪 Ongata Rongai
🕒 Local time
21:19 9:19 PM
16:19 4:19 PM
5 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
172,569
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

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).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Ongata Rongai 9,720 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Ongata Rongai

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 Ongata Rongai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ongata Rongai cheaper than Cebu?
Ongata Rongai is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,377 in Cebu and $856 in Ongata Rongai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Ongata Rongai?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $152 in Ongata Rongai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Cebu and in Ongata Rongai?
Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Ongata Rongai?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $571 in Ongata Rongai – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cebu or Ongata Rongai?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Ongata Rongai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Cebu or Ongata Rongai more family-friendly?
For families, Ongata Rongai 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.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Ongata Rongai?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Ongata Rongai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ongata Rongai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Cebu vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?