For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,768 in Plzen, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Plzen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,768 in Plzen.
Cebu $934
Plzen $1,768
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $2,468 in Plzen.
Cebu $1,415
Plzen $2,468
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $3,168 in Plzen.
Cebu $1,896
Plzen $3,168
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 47% less than in Plzen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Plzen is 32% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Plzen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03₱190
$11.43Kč 248
-73.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48₱1,473
$50.7Kč 1,101
-53.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.09₱256
$9.33Kč 203
-56.16%
Cappuccino
$2.52₱158
$3.01Kč 65.3
-16.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54₱96.9
$2.01Kč 43.75
-23.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49₱30.98
$1.76Kč 38.27
-72.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.79₱112
$2.71Kč 58.9
-33.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26₱142
$2.73Kč 59.4
-17.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Plzen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.95₱122
$1.14Kč 24.80
71.05%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43₱89.7
$1.58Kč 34.41
-9.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02₱63.8
$2.98Kč 64.8
-65.77%
Eggs
$2.06₱129
$3.85Kč 83.6
-46.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.81₱615
$13.60Kč 295
-27.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.61₱289
$10.04Kč 218
-54.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.70₱483
$16.29Kč 354
-52.73%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31₱207
$2.11Kč 45.88
56.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45₱90.9
$1.82Kč 39.55
-20.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$2.13Kč 46.23
10.80%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.54₱96.4
$3.56Kč 77.3
-56.74%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$1.22Kč 26.62
93.44%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99₱125
$1.22Kč 26.41
63.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.15₱72.1
$1.58Kč 34.36
-27.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67₱42.15
$0.84Kč 18.15
-20.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱188
$6.78Kč 147
-55.75%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.35₱398
$6.93Kč 151
-8.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31₱81.9
$1.42Kč 30.81
-7.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73₱108
$1.74Kč 37.85
-0.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Plzen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.78
$1.32Kč 28.64
-81.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.65₱793
$27.88Kč 606
-54.63%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.74₱46.32
$2.12Kč 46.08
-65.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.21₱13.11
$1.35Kč 29.31
-84.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.33₱271
$13.74Kč 299
-68.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33₱83.5
$1.83Kč 39.75
-27.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K₱1.4M
$29.9KKč 650.8K
-27.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K₱1.2M
$29.6KKč 643.4K
-34.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Plzen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$121₱7,563
$278Kč 6,043
-56.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45₱907
$16.66Kč 362
-13.27%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29₱1,774
$16.56Kč 360
70.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Plzen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.68₱2,050
$60.7Kč 1,320
-46.19%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39₱401
$14.41Kč 313
-55.66%
Cinema Ticket
$5.46₱342
$11.56Kč 251
-52.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Plzen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$273₱17.1K
$334Kč 7,256
-18.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,156₱511.5K
$10.7KKč 233.1K
-23.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Plzen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57₱3,109
$79.7Kč 1,732
-37.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87₱1,560
$44.03Kč 957
-43.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.6₱4,804
$87.0Kč 1,890
-11.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3₱3,717
$112Kč 2,441
-47.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Plzen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$506₱31.7K
$719Kč 15.6K
-29.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$704Kč 15.3K
-56.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,052₱66.0K
$951Kč 20.7K
10.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$619₱38.8K
$935Kč 20.3K
-33.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,915₱182.9K
$4,989Kč 108.4K
-41.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,867₱117.1K
$4,211Kč 91.5K
-55.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Plzen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$341₱21.4K
$1,897Kč 41.2K
-82.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
4.8
50.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026
Last update for Plzen: October 4, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309 33.5%
Plzen
$704 39.9% ↑ 128%$395
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210 22.7%
Plzen
$289 16.4% ↑ 37.4%$79
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163 17.7%
Plzen
$311 17.6% ↑ 90.6%$148
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95 10.2%
Plzen
$145 8.2% ↑ 53.6%$51
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Plzen
$190 10.7% ↑ 115%$101
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.7%
Plzen
$84 4.8% ↑ 92.3%$40
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$15 1.7%
Plzen
$42 2.4% ↑ 172%$27
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$619 32.4%
Plzen
$935 29.5% ↑ 51%$316
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$493 25.8%
Plzen
$680 21.5% ↑ 37.9%$187
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$178 9.3%
Plzen
$328 10.4% ↑ 84.5%$150
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$210 11%
Plzen
$323 10.2% ↑ 53.6%$113
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$288 15.1%
Plzen
$633 20% ↑ 120%$345
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Plzen
$182 5.8% ↑ 94.6%$89
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$31 1.6%
Plzen
$87 2.7% ↑ 176%$55
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $719 in Plzen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Plzen pays 456% 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 $51.0 in Plzen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $289 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
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 Plzen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Plzen cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Plzen?
On paper, salaries run 456% lower in Plzen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Plzen?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $719 in Plzen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Plzen?
All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $1,768 in Plzen – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 120% less than in Plzen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Plzen?
At $934 in Cebu versus $1,768 in Plzen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Plzen. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Plzen more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Plzen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Plzen?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Plzen 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Plzen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.