For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,611 in Rijeka, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Other living expenses 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 Rijeka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,611 in Rijeka.
Cebu $934
Rijeka $1,611
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $2,416 in Rijeka.
Cebu $1,415
Rijeka $2,416
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $3,222 in Rijeka.
Cebu $1,896
Rijeka $3,222
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 42% less than in Rijeka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Rijeka is 20% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Rijeka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03₱190
$13.30€11.87
-77.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48₱1,473
$73.3€65.4
-67.95%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.09₱256
$9.92€8.86
-58.77%
Cappuccino
$2.52₱158
$2.25€2.01
12.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54₱96.9
$3.11€2.77
-50.48%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49₱30.98
$1.89€1.69
-74.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.79₱112
$3.79€3.38
-52.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26₱142
$4.42€3.94
-48.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Rijeka
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.95₱122
$1.24€1.11
57.26%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43₱89.7
$1.61€1.44
-11.18%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02₱63.8
$3.35€2.99
-69.55%
Eggs
$2.06₱129
$3.79€3.38
-45.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.81₱615
$15.85€14.14
-38.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.61₱289
$10.06€8.97
-54.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.70₱483
$14.49€12.93
-46.86%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31₱207
$1.72€1.53
92.44%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45₱90.9
$1.75€1.56
-17.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$1.83€1.64
28.96%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.54₱96.4
$2.56€2.28
-39.84%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱148
$1.32€1.18
78.79%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99₱125
$1.31€1.17
51.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.15₱72.1
$1.37€1.22
-16.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67₱42.15
$1.36€1.22
-50.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱188
$5.72€5.10
-47.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.35₱398
$7.97€7.11
-20.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31₱81.9
$1.61€1.44
-18.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73₱108
$2.12€1.89
-18.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Rijeka
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.78
$2.27€2.03
-88.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.65₱793
$54.7€48.80
-76.87%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.74₱46.32
$5.49€4.90
-86.52%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.21₱13.11
$1.50€1.34
-86.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.33₱271
$28.38€25.32
-84.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33₱83.5
$1.93€1.72
-31.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K₱1.4M
$25.9K€23.1K
-15.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K₱1.2M
$24.6K€22.0K
-21.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Rijeka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$121₱7,563
$187€167
-35.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45₱907
$24.40€21.78
-40.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29₱1,774
$39.54€35.28
-28.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Rijeka
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.68₱2,050
$53.4€47.69
-38.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39₱401
$11.12€9.93
-42.54%
Cinema Ticket
$5.46₱342
$6.69€5.97
-18.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Rijeka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$273₱17.1K
$550€491
-50.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,156₱511.5K
$12.7K€11.3K
-35.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Rijeka
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57₱3,109
$101€89.8
-50.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87₱1,560
$42.30€37.75
-41.21%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.6₱4,804
$102€90.8
-24.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3₱3,717
$110€97.8
-45.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Rijeka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$506₱31.7K
$699€624
-27.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$546€487
-43.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,052₱66.0K
$1,213€1,083
-13.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$619₱38.8K
$860€767
-28.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,915₱182.9K
$4,081€3,642
-28.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,867₱117.1K
$3,925€3,503
-52.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Rijeka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$341₱21.4K
$1,509€1,347
-77.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
3.73
93.03%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026
Last update for Rijeka: October 5, 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%
Rijeka
$546 34% ↑ 76.5%$237
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210 22.7%
Rijeka
$294 18.3% ↑ 39.9%$84
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163 17.7%
Rijeka
$251 15.6% ↑ 53.7%$88
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95 10.2%
Rijeka
$159 9.9% ↑ 68.4%$65
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Rijeka
$211 13.1% ↑ 139%$123
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.7%
Rijeka
$67 4.2% ↑ 53.3%$23
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$15 1.7%
Rijeka
$77 4.8% ↑ 397%$61
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$619 32.4%
Rijeka
$860 26.4% ↑ 38.9%$241
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$493 25.8%
Rijeka
$682 20.9% ↑ 38.5%$190
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$178 9.3%
Rijeka
$275 8.4% ↑ 54.9%$98
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$210 11%
Rijeka
$354 10.9% ↑ 68.4%$144
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$288 15.1%
Rijeka
$787 24.1% ↑ 173%$499
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Rijeka
$145 4.4% ↑ 54.7%$51
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$31 1.6%
Rijeka
$158 4.9% ↑ 404%$127
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $699 in Rijeka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Rijeka pays 343% 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 $73.0 in Rijeka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $294 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 Rijeka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rijeka cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Rijeka?
On paper, salaries run 343% lower in Rijeka. 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 Rijeka?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $699 in Rijeka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Rijeka?
All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $1,611 in Rijeka – a 72% 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 332% less than in Rijeka. 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 Rijeka?
At $934 in Cebu versus $1,611 in Rijeka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Rijeka. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Rijeka more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rijeka, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Rijeka?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Rijeka 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 72% less than in Rijeka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.