Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Popovo

For one person, living costs are similar in Cebu and in Popovo: $915 and $911 a month, rent and utilities included.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Popovo
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Popovo Living Index

Jump to prices

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$915

/mo nomad

Popovo

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$911

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Popovo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Cebu versus $911 in Popovo.

Cebu $915
Popovo $911

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Cebu versus $1,380 in Popovo.

Cebu $1,418
Popovo $1,380

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,921 in Cebu versus $1,849 in Popovo.

Cebu $1,921
Popovo $1,849

Monthly costs are close between Cebu and Popovo; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Popovo 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ₱192

$8.53 BGN 14.84

-64.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ₱1,511

$28.74 BGN 50.0

-16.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 ₱251

$7.04 BGN 12.25

-43.32%

Cappuccino

$2.50 ₱157

$1.16 BGN 2.02

115.52%

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

$1.54 ₱97.1

$0.72 BGN 1.26

113.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.37

$1.55 BGN 2.71

-67.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.52 BGN 4.39

-29.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱136

$4.27 BGN 7.42

-49.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.44 BGN 2.51

38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ₱86.2

$1.03 BGN 1.79

33.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.9

$2.12 BGN 3.68

-51.42%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$2.55 BGN 4.43

-20.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ₱642

$6.81 BGN 11.84

49.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 ₱280

$7.96 BGN 13.84

-44.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 ₱483

$13.99 BGN 24.34

-45.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$1.46 BGN 2.53

126.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₱91.8

$1.44 BGN 2.51

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₱146

$1.39 BGN 2.42

66.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱94.0

$2.13 BGN 3.70

-30.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

$1.05 BGN 1.82

122.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$1.04 BGN 1.81

86.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$1.20 BGN 2.09

-3.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.89

$0.76 BGN 1.33

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱188

$3.82 BGN 6.65

-21.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 ₱393

$6.23 BGN 10.84

0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.3

$0.84 BGN 1.46

46.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$2.03 BGN 3.53

-14.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.36

$0.84 BGN 1.46

-72.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 ₱777

$24.48 BGN 42.60

-49.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.96

$0.59 BGN 1.03

33.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.86

$0.59 BGN 1.03

-62.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ₱286

$7.70 BGN 13.40

-41.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$1.56 BGN 2.72

-15.38%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$28.7K BGN 50.0K

-26.85%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$22.1K BGN 38.4K

-12.05%

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

$119 ₱7,464

$113 BGN 197

4.47%

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

$14.22 ₱896

$18.33 BGN 31.90

-22.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.47 ₱1,730

$15.37 BGN 26.75

78.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.31 ₱2,034

$20.26 BGN 35.26

59.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.50 ₱409

$17.14 BGN 29.83

-62.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱340

$6.22 BGN 10.82

-13.18%

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

$276 ₱17.4K

$518 BGN 901

-46.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,866 ₱495.3K

$5,408 BGN 9,410

45.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 ₱3,108

$50.7 BGN 88.3

-2.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.58 ₱1,548

$40.28 BGN 70.1

-38.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,825

$69.7 BGN 121

9.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 ₱3,706

$46.17 BGN 80.3

27.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.7K

$328 BGN 571

53.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ₱19.2K

$256 BGN 445

19.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₱67.7K

$547 BGN 952

96.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.8K

$406 BGN 707

55.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,870 ₱180.7K

$1,337 BGN 2,326

114.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱118.2K

$1,062 BGN 1,848

76.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ₱21.1K

$1,261 BGN 2,194

-73.36%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Popovo: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$305 33.3%

Popovo

$256 28.1% 16.1% $49

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.9%

Popovo

$218 23.9% 3.8% $8.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$160 17.5%

Popovo

$147 16.2% 8.2% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.3%

Popovo

$93 10.2% 1.2% $1.2

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Popovo

$134 14.7% 52.2% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$43 4.7%

Popovo

$33 3.6% 24.1% $10

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Popovo

$31 3.4% 107% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Cebu and $328 in Popovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Popovo pays 275% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $29.00 in Popovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $218 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇧🇬 Popovo

🕒 Local time

00:06 12:06 AM

19:06 7:06 PM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

15,878

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Popovo 9,830 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Popovo

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 Popovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 275% lower in Popovo. 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: $503 in Cebu versus $328 in Popovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Popovo runs roughly 98% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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

For families, Popovo 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 Popovo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Popovo wins on affordability, Cebu on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.