Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Plovdiv

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,212 in Plovdiv, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 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
58

Cost of Living Index in Plovdiv
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Plovdiv Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Plovdiv

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,212

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Plovdiv

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,212 in Plovdiv.

Cebu $934
Plovdiv $1,212

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $1,850 in Plovdiv.

Cebu $1,415
Plovdiv $1,850

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $2,489 in Plovdiv.

Cebu $1,896
Plovdiv $2,489

Living in Cebu costs roughly 23% less than in Plovdiv, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Plovdiv 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱191

$9.12 BGN 15.96

-66.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,476

$44.93 BGN 78.6

-47.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱257

$9.39 BGN 16.43

-56.44%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$2.78 BGN 4.86

-9.35%

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

$1.54 ₱97.2

$1.77 BGN 3.09

-12.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.06

$1.58 BGN 2.76

-68.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱113

$2.53 BGN 4.43

-29.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$4.14 BGN 7.25

-45.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.76 BGN 3.07

10.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.9

$1.16 BGN 2.03

23.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$2.24 BGN 3.93

-54.46%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$3.64 BGN 6.37

-43.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱617

$11.42 BGN 19.98

-14.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱290

$8.46 BGN 14.81

-45.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱484

$14.11 BGN 24.70

-45.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$1.67 BGN 2.92

98.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

$1.82 BGN 3.18

-20.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.90 BGN 3.33

24.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

$2.58 BGN 4.51

-40.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.04 BGN 1.83

126.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.06 BGN 1.85

87.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.3

$1.16 BGN 2.04

-0.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.26

$0.73 BGN 1.27

-8.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$4.06 BGN 7.11

-26.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱399

$6.17 BGN 10.79

2.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.1

$1.12 BGN 1.96

16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$2.03 BGN 3.56

-14.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

$0.55 BGN 0.96

-54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱796

$28.99 BGN 50.7

-56.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.44

$1.29 BGN 2.27

-42.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.61 BGN 1.06

-65.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$10.13 BGN 17.73

-57.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

$1.70 BGN 2.98

-21.76%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$30.0K BGN 52.4K

-27.35%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$25.1K BGN 43.8K

-22.57%

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

$121 ₱7,583

$114 BGN 200

5.44%

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

$14.45 ₱909

$18.53 BGN 32.43

-22.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,779

$15.25 BGN 26.69

85.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,055

$40.23 BGN 70.4

-18.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱402

$20.30 BGN 35.52

-68.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱343

$9.01 BGN 15.76

-39.40%

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

$273 ₱17.2K

$515 BGN 901

-46.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱512.9K

$5,450 BGN 9,537

49.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,117

$67.3 BGN 118

-26.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,564

$42.10 BGN 73.7

-40.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,817

$96.0 BGN 168

-20.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,727

$103 BGN 181

-42.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.8K

$530 BGN 928

-4.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

$388 BGN 679

-20.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.1K

$878 BGN 1,536

19.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.9K

$670 BGN 1,173

-7.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱183.4K

$2,226 BGN 3,896

30.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.4K

$1,572 BGN 2,751

18.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.5K

$1,161 BGN 2,032

-70.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

3.1

132.26%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Plovdiv

$388 32.6% 25.4% $78

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Plovdiv

$252 21.2% 19.7% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Plovdiv

$148 12.5% 9.3% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Plovdiv

$139 11.7% 46.9% $44

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Plovdiv

$169 14.2% 91% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Plovdiv

$58 4.9% 33.6% $15

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Plovdiv

$36 3% 130% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $530 in Plovdiv. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Plovdiv pays 240% 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 $45.00 in Plovdiv for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $252 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇧🇬 Plovdiv

🕒 Local time

13:03 1:03 PM

08:03 8:03 AM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

368,983

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, 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).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Plovdiv 9,980 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Plovdiv

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 Plovdiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 240% lower in Plovdiv. 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 $530 in Plovdiv. 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 $1,212 in Plovdiv – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 129% less than in Plovdiv. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Cebu versus $1,212 in Plovdiv, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Plovdiv. 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 Plovdiv, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Plovdiv 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 30% less than in Plovdiv. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.