Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Sal

For one person, living is cheaper in Sal: $851 a month against $943 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Sal
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Sal Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$943

/mo nomad

Sal

🇨🇻 Cape Verde

$851

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Sal

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $943 in Cebu versus $851 in Sal.

Cebu $943
Sal $851

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,437 in Cebu versus $1,317 in Sal.

Cebu $1,437
Sal $1,317

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,930 in Cebu versus $1,784 in Sal.

Cebu $1,930
Sal $1,784

Living in Cebu is roughly 11% more expensive than in Sal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Sal 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 ₱244

$5.62 CVE 552

-30.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 ₱1,462

$44.81 CVE 4,403

-48.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 ₱246

$11.38 CVE 1,118

-65.73%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₱161

$2.36 CVE 232

8.47%

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

$1.60 ₱101

$2.53 CVE 249

-36.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱32.03

$1.11 CVE 109

-54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 ₱111

$4.62 CVE 454

-61.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱136

$3.08 CVE 303

-30.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.60 CVE 157

24.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ₱86.3

$2.20 CVE 216

-37.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱59.9

$1.20 CVE 118

-20.83%

Eggs

$2.02 ₱127

$2.89 CVE 284

-30.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 ₱606

$9.08 CVE 892

6.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 ₱274

$7.80 CVE 767

-44.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱485

$15.92 CVE 1,564

-51.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱207

$3.13 CVE 307

5.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ₱79.7

$2.38 CVE 234

-46.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱148

$3.19 CVE 313

-26.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ₱95.4

$3.84 CVE 378

-60.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱141

$1.69 CVE 166

31.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 ₱122

$1.83 CVE 180

5.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₱74.4

$1.49 CVE 147

-20.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₱40.93

$1.09 CVE 107

-40.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₱182

$4.44 CVE 436

-34.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱400

$6.41 CVE 630

-0.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱80.1

$4.09 CVE 402

-68.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₱103

$1.83 CVE 180

-10.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.99 CVE 97.6

-76.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.24 ₱771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.5

$2.06 CVE 203

-60.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.56

$3.14 CVE 308

-93.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 ₱272

$12.47 CVE 1,225

-65.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₱86.7

$1.34 CVE 132

2.99%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

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

$124 ₱7,816

$60.0 CVE 5,894

106.93%

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

$15.93 ₱1,003

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 ₱1,768

$49.50 CVE 4,864

-43.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.41 ₱2,104

$27.44 CVE 2,696

21.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.40 ₱403

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 ₱368

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

$271 ₱17.0K

$116 CVE 11.4K

132.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,060 ₱507.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.31 ₱3,042

$30.02 CVE 2,950

60.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.56 ₱1,546

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 ₱4,856

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 ₱3,558

$144 CVE 14.2K

-60.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₱31.2K

$252 CVE 24.8K

96.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₱20.3K

$168 CVE 16.5K

91.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$990 ₱62.4K

$301 CVE 29.5K

229.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 ₱39.6K

$207 CVE 20.3K

203.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,459 ₱280.7K

$669 CVE 65.7K

566.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,030 ₱190.8K

$339 CVE 33.3K

793.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 ₱21.6K

$257 CVE 25.2K

33.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

5.25

37.14%

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

Last update for Cebu: November 2, 2026

Last update for Sal: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$322 34.1%

Sal

$168 19.7% 47.9% $154

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 21.8%

Sal

$295 34.7% 43.5% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$168 17.8%

Sal

$110 * 12.9% 34.9% $59

Eating Out

Cebu

$95 10.1%

Sal

$151 17.8% 59.2% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$93 9.9%

Sal

$78 * 9.2% 15.7% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$45 4.8%

Sal

$27 * 3.2% 39.2% $18

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.6%

Sal

$22 * 2.6% 45% $6.7

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 $495 in Cebu and $252 in Sal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 33% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $23 in Cebu vs $45 in Sal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $295 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇨🇻 Sal

🕒 Local time

16:44 4:44 PM

07:44 7:44 AM

9 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,288

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Cabo Verdean Escudo CVE $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 CVE = 10.18 USD

1,000 CVE = 9.06 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CVE, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 62.97 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Cabo Verdean Escudo exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 98.25 CVE (100 CVE = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 110 CVE (1,000 CVE = 9.06 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Sal 15,290 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Sal

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 Sal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sal is about 10% cheaper overall, especially in leisure and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 33% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $495 in Cebu versus $252 in Sal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 30% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you’ll spend $943 per month in Cebu versus $851 in Sal – Sal is about 10% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sal gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Sal are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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