Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Qalyub

For one person, living is cheaper in Qalyub: $447 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Qalyub
🇪🇬 Egypt
$447
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Qalyub

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $447 in Qalyub.

  • Cebu $918
  • Qalyub $447

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $733 in Qalyub.

  • Cebu $1,409
  • Qalyub $733

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,018 in Qalyub.

  • Cebu $1,900
  • Qalyub $1,018

Living in Cebu is roughly 105% more expensive than in Qalyub, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Qalyub 67% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Qalyub
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09 ₱194
$4.34 E£232
-28.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22 ₱1,525
$18.63 E£995
30.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.92 ₱247
$4.64 E£248
-15.52%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₱158
$1.25 E£66.8
100.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₱100
$0.32 E£17.15
396.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.43
$0.11 E£5.96
381.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$1.35 E£71.8
31.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱137
$2.24 E£120
-3.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Qalyub
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 ₱121
$0.81 E£43.07
137.04%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱85.4
$0.68 E£36.26
100.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.5
$0.61 E£32.43
65.57%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$1.17 E£62.6
73.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 ₱621
$3.95 E£211
149.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₱277
$4.33 E£231
1.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 ₱479
$8.94 E£477
-14.99%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ₱208
$1.57 E£84.0
110.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.8
$0.72 E£38.69
93.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$0.57 E£30.18
308.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ₱94.3
$0.33 E£17.36
354.55%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$0.26 E£13.89
807.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ₱119
$0.30 E£15.95
533.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₱74.9
$0.25 E£13.24
376.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱39.71
$0.21 E£11.22
200.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱189
$1.89 E£101
58.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.03 ₱379
$5.82 E£311
3.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.7
$1.20 E£63.8
2.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₱110
$2.11 E£113
-17.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Qalyub
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.86
$0.20 E£10.49
25.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.64 ₱796
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.77 ₱48.62
$0.36 E£19.34
113.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.53
$0.20 E£10.52
15.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 ₱281
$1.20 E£64.3
271.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱82.8
$0.42 E£22.40
211.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$31.7K E£1.7M
-33.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$26.5K E£1.4M
-27.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Qalyub
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,569
$14.08 E£752
753.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00 ₱882
$6.67 E£356
109.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 ₱1,734
$13.41 E£716
105.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Qalyub
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.33 ₱2,035
$16.24 E£867
99.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 ₱419
$0.97 E£51.8
585.57%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65 ₱356
$2.79 E£149
102.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Qalyub
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$275 ₱17.3K
$86.2 E£4,601
219.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,918 ₱498.5K
$2,085 E£111.4K
279.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Qalyub
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ₱3,106
$33.01 E£1,763
49.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ₱1,589
$45.24 E£2,416
-44.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ₱4,846
$114 E£6,111
-32.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2 ₱3,601
$56.1 E£2,993
2.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Qalyub
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₱31.5K
$131 E£6,973
282.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$75.3 E£4,020
310.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 ₱67.9K
$255 E£13.6K
322.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$615 ₱38.7K
$143 E£7,630
330.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,886 ₱181.7K
$770 E£41.1K
274.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,917 ₱120.7K
$358 E£19.1K
435.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Qalyub
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$346 ₱21.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
16.21
-55.58%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Qalyub: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Qalyub
$75 75.6% $234
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206
Qalyub
$125 39.2% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162
Qalyub
$34 78.9% $128
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Qalyub
$112 19.2% $18
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Qalyub
$77 13.2% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Qalyub
$22 50% $22
Getting Around
Cebu
$16
Qalyub
$2.1 * 86.3% $13

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 $500 in Cebu and $131 in Qalyub. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $19.00 in Qalyub for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $125 per month, with Qalyub cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇪🇬 Qalyub
🕒 Local time
05:14 5:14 AM
00:14 12:14 AM
5 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
109,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Qalyub 9,690 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Qalyub

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 Qalyub: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Qalyub cheaper than Cebu?
Qalyub is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,377 in Cebu and $671 in Qalyub to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Qalyub?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $131 in Qalyub. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Cebu and in Qalyub?
Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Qalyub?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $447 in Qalyub – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cebu or Qalyub?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Qalyub gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Cebu or Qalyub more family-friendly?
For families, Qalyub 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.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Qalyub?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Qalyub 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 Qalyub gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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