Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Sale

For one person, living is cheaper in Sale: $635 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 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
31

Cost of Living Index in Sale
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Sale Living Index

Jump to prices

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Sale

🇲🇦 Morocco

$635

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Sale

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $635 in Sale.

Cebu $918
Sale $635

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,044 in Sale.

Cebu $1,409
Sale $1,044

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,453 in Sale.

Cebu $1,900
Sale $1,453

Living in Cebu is roughly 45% more expensive than in Sale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Sale 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$3.63 MAD 35.42

-14.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$17.82 MAD 174

35.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$7.19 MAD 70.1

-45.48%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$1.76 MAD 17.20

42.61%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.60 MAD 5.81

165.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.32 MAD 3.16

65.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.63 MAD 25.63

-32.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$3.05 MAD 29.76

-28.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.90 MAD 8.77

113.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.65 MAD 6.36

109.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$1.90 MAD 18.57

-46.84%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.86 MAD 18.10

9.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$11.31 MAD 110

-12.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$6.89 MAD 67.2

-36.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$12.38 MAD 121

-38.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$1.34 MAD 13.05

146.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$1.18 MAD 11.48

17.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$0.84 MAD 8.23

177.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$0.90 MAD 8.76

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.68 MAD 6.62

247.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.73 MAD 7.15

160.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.47 MAD 4.58

153.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.62 MAD 6.03

1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$3.75 MAD 36.51

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$4.74 MAD 46.23

27.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$2.23 MAD 21.75

-44.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.13 MAD 20.81

-17.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$0.55 MAD 5.32

-54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$23.03 MAD 225

-45.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$0.69 MAD 6.78

11.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.50 MAD 4.85

-54.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$4.03 MAD 39.30

10.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.48 MAD 14.46

-11.49%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$31.0K MAD 301.9K

-31.41%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$30.8K MAD 300.4K

-37.86%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$37.71 MAD 368

218.83%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$10.53 MAD 103

32.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$40.93 MAD 399

-32.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$16.62 MAD 162

94.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$40.69 MAD 397

-83.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$5.29 MAD 51.6

6.81%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$104 MAD 1,010

165.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$5,903 MAD 57.6K

34.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$32.27 MAD 315

52.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$46.59 MAD 454

-45.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$71.9 MAD 701

7.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$66.4 MAD 648

-13.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$208 MAD 2,025

140.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$102 MAD 994

202.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$356 MAD 3,473

202.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$260 MAD 2,532

136.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$1,126 MAD 11.0K

156.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$838 MAD 8,167

128.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$516 MAD 5,033

-32.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

44.00%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sale: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Sale

$102 16.1% 67% $207

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Sale

$195 30.8% 5.1% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Sale

$89 14.1% 44.9% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Sale

$98 15.4% 4.1% $3.8

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Sale

$95 14.9% 7.3% $6.5

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Sale

$27 4.3% 37.6% $16

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Sale

$28 4.5% 82.3% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $208 in Sale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sale pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $18.00 in Sale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $195 per month, with Sale cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇲🇦 Sale

🕒 Local time

00:07 12:07 AM

17:07 5:07 PM

7 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

890,403

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 MAD = 10.26 USD

100 MAD = 9.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Sale 12,850 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Sale

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 Sale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sale is cheaper overall, especially in groceries and leisure. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Sale. 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: $500 in Cebu versus $208 in Sale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $635 in Sale – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sale runs roughly 82% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Sale gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Sale 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 Sale 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 Sale gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.