Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Ongjin

For one person, living is cheaper in Ongjin: $710 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Ongjin
Learn more

Ongjin Living Index

Jump to prices

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Ongjin

🇰🇵 North Korea

$710

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Ongjin

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $710 in Ongjin.

Cebu $934
Ongjin $710

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $1,126 in Ongjin.

Cebu $1,415
Ongjin $1,126

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $1,543 in Ongjin.

Cebu $1,896
Ongjin $1,543

Living in Cebu is roughly 32% more expensive than in Ongjin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Ongjin 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱191

$2.79 $2.79

8.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,476

$23.34 $23.34

0.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱257

$7.98 $7.98

-48.75%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$1.16 $1.16

117.24%

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

$1.54 ₱97.2

$0.98 $0.98

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.06

$0.98 $0.98

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱113

$6.64 $6.64

-73.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$2.26 $2.26

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$0.93 $0.93

109.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.9

$1.57 $1.57

-8.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$2.26 $2.26

-54.87%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$3.28 $3.28

-37.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱617

$4.66 $4.66

110.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱290

$2.29 $2.29

101.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱484

$5.67 $5.67

35.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$6.80 $6.80

-51.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

$4.63 $4.63

-68.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.34 $2.34

0.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

$2.29 $2.29

-32.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$3.50 $3.50

-32.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$3.33 $3.33

-40.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.3

$2.31 $2.31

-50.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.26

$0.43 $0.43

55.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$4.67 $4.67

-35.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱399

$7.81 $7.81

-18.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.1

$1.11 $1.11

18.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$2.23 $2.23

-22.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

$1.00 $1.00

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱796

$39.98 $39.98

-68.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.44

$1.57 $1.57

-52.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$2.23 $2.23

-90.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$41.01 $41.01

-89.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

$0.75 $0.75

77.33%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$23.0K $23.0K

-5.33%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$27.9K $27.9K

-30.47%

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

$121 ₱7,583

$33.78 $33.78

256.96%

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

$14.45 ₱909

$11.46 $11.46

26.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,779

$45.71 $45.71

-38.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,055

$43.61 $43.61

-25.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱402

$14.96 $14.96

-57.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱343

$7.75 $7.75

-29.55%

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

$273 ₱17.2K

$109 $109

150.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱512.9K

$2,117 $2,117

285.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,117

$22.72 $22.72

118.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,564

$27.97 $27.97

-11.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,817

$61.6 $61.6

24.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,727

$84.1 $84.1

-29.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.8K

$89.2 $89.2

467.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

$91.3 $91.3

238.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.1K

$2,244 $2,244

-53.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.9K

$136 $136

354.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱183.4K

$1,691 $1,691

72.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.4K

$1,423 $1,423

31.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.5K

$214 $214

59.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

7.11

1.27%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ongjin: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Ongjin

$91 12.7% 70.5% $218

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Ongjin

$229 31.8% 9% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Ongjin

$91 12.6% 44.3% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Ongjin

$88 12.3% 6.6% $6.2

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Ongjin

$106 14.7% 19.7% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Ongjin

$59 8.2% 35.6% $16

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Ongjin

$57 7.9% 267% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $89.2 in Ongjin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 59% 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 $23.00 in Ongjin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $229 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇰🇵 Ongjin

🕒 Local time

16:20 4:20 PM

17:20 5:20 PM

1 h ahead of Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

152,878

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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).

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Ongjin 3,080 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Ongjin

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 Ongjin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ongjin is cheaper overall, especially in clothing. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 59% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $89.2 in Ongjin. 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 $710 in Ongjin – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ongjin runs roughly 216% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

For families, Ongjin 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 Ongjin 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 Ongjin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.