Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Port Vila

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $3,157 in Port Vila, rent and utilities included – about $26,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Port Vila
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Port Vila Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Port Vila

🇻🇺 Vanuatu

$3,157

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Port Vila

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $3,157 in Port Vila.

Cebu $934
Port Vila $3,157

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $4,290 in Port Vila.

Cebu $1,415
Port Vila $4,290

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $5,424 in Port Vila.

Cebu $1,896
Port Vila $5,424

Living in Cebu costs roughly 70% less than in Port Vila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Port Vila is 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱191

$12.64 VUV 1,480

-76.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,476

$55.9 VUV 6,539

-57.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱257

$14.29 VUV 1,672

-71.38%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$4.06 VUV 475

-37.93%

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

$1.54 ₱97.2

$2.32 VUV 271

-33.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.06

$2.33 VUV 273

-78.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱113

$4.93 VUV 577

-63.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$7.24 VUV 847

-68.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$2.86 VUV 335

-31.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.9

$1.90 VUV 223

-24.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$3.83 VUV 448

-73.37%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$6.06 VUV 710

-66.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱617

$17.62 VUV 2,063

-44.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱290

$16.51 VUV 1,933

-72.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱484

$13.76 VUV 1,611

-44.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$6.98 VUV 817

-52.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

$2.12 VUV 249

-31.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$3.82 VUV 447

-38.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

$9.36 VUV 1,096

-83.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$8.96 VUV 1,049

-73.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$3.50 VUV 410

-43.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.3

$2.60 VUV 304

-55.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.26

$1.16 VUV 135

-42.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$9.16 VUV 1,073

-67.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱399

$12.63 VUV 1,478

-49.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.1

$2.50 VUV 292

-47.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$2.73 VUV 319

-36.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

$1.24 VUV 145

-79.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱796

$68.8 VUV 8,053

-81.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.44

$2.48 VUV 291

-70.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.87 VUV 102

-75.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$5.22 VUV 611

-17.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

$1.82 VUV 213

-26.92%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$23.6K VUV 2.8M

-7.58%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$38.1K VUV 4.5M

-49.03%

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

$121 ₱7,583

$640 VUV 74.9K

-81.15%

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

$14.45 ₱909

$22.97 VUV 2,689

-37.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,779

$359 VUV 42.0K

-92.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,055

$67.7 VUV 7,930

-51.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱402

$17.18 VUV 2,011

-62.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱343

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

$273 ₱17.2K

$625 VUV 73.2K

-56.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱512.9K

$6,995 VUV 818.8K

16.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,117

$41.44 VUV 4,851

19.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,564

$67.4 VUV 7,893

-63.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,817

$85.5 VUV 10.0K

-10.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,727

$103 VUV 12.0K

-42.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.8K

$1,581 VUV 185.1K

-68.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

$1,117 VUV 130.8K

-72.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.1K

$3,398 VUV 397.8K

-69.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.9K

$1,872 VUV 219.2K

-66.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱183.4K

$6,112 VUV 715.5K

-52.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.4K

$2,206 VUV 258.3K

-15.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.5K

$667 VUV 78.1K

-48.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.18

16.50%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Port Vila: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Port Vila

$1.1K 35.5% 261% $808

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Port Vila

$475 15.1% 126% $265

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Port Vila

$1K 32.5% 526% $858

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Port Vila

$134 4.3% 41.2% $39

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Port Vila

$250 8% 183% $162

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Port Vila

$68 * 2.2% 55.4% $24

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Port Vila

$81 2.6% 422% $65

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 $506 in Cebu and $1,581 in Port Vila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Vila pays 95% 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 $56.0 in Port Vila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $475 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇻🇺 Port Vila

🕒 Local time

16:11 4:11 PM

19:11 7:11 PM

3 h ahead of Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

44,039 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Vanuatu Vatu VUV Vt

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 VUV = 8.54 USD

1,000 VUV = 7.62 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VUV, 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).

Vanuatu Vatu exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 117 VUV (1,000 VUV = 8.54 USD). 1 EUR = 131 VUV (1,000 VUV = 7.62 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Port Vila 5,790 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Port Vila

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 Port Vila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 238% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Port Vila. 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 $1,581 in Port Vila. 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 $3,157 in Port Vila – a 238% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 444% less than in Port Vila. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Cebu versus $3,157 in Port Vila, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Port Vila. 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 Port Vila, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Port Vila 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 238% less than in Port Vila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.