Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Samokov

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,008 in Samokov, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. The total is higher in Samokov despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Samokov
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Samokov Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Samokov

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,008

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Samokov

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,008 in Samokov.

Cebu $918
Samokov $1,008

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,634 in Samokov.

Cebu $1,409
Samokov $1,634

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $2,259 in Samokov.

Cebu $1,900
Samokov $2,259

Living in Cebu costs roughly 9% less than in Samokov, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Samokov 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$9.08 BGN 15.80

-65.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$44.84 BGN 78.0

-45.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$9.41 BGN 16.38

-58.34%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.87 BGN 5.00

-12.54%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$1.79 BGN 3.12

-11.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$1.49 BGN 2.59

-64.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.64 BGN 4.60

-32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$4.17 BGN 7.26

-47.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.81 BGN 3.14

6.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$1.15 BGN 2.01

18.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$2.25 BGN 3.92

-55.11%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$3.60 BGN 6.27

-43.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$11.47 BGN 19.95

-14.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$8.49 BGN 14.77

-48.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$14.16 BGN 24.64

-46.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$1.72 BGN 2.99

91.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$1.87 BGN 3.25

-25.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$1.91 BGN 3.32

21.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$2.53 BGN 4.40

-40.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$1.08 BGN 1.87

118.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$1.07 BGN 1.86

77.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$1.22 BGN 2.13

-2.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.78 BGN 1.35

-19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$3.90 BGN 6.79

-23.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$6.33 BGN 11.01

-4.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.12 BGN 1.94

9.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.07 BGN 3.61

-15.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$0.98 BGN 1.71

-74.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$24.50 BGN 42.63

-48.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$1.27 BGN 2.22

-39.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.66 BGN 1.14

-65.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$10.26 BGN 17.85

-56.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.76 BGN 3.07

-25.57%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$30.2K BGN 52.5K

-29.66%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$24.9K BGN 43.3K

-23.03%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$111 BGN 193

8.16%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$18.77 BGN 32.65

-25.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$15.19 BGN 26.43

81.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$30.47 BGN 53.0

6.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$17.71 BGN 30.81

-62.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$8.91 BGN 15.50

-36.59%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$508 BGN 884

-45.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$5,382 BGN 9,365

47.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$67.8 BGN 118

-27.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$42.06 BGN 73.2

-39.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$97.6 BGN 170

-21.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$103 BGN 179

-44.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$331 BGN 577

50.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$218 BGN 379

41.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$565 BGN 983

90.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$440 BGN 766

39.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$1,272 BGN 2,213

126.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$1,091 BGN 1,899

75.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$734 BGN 1,278

-52.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

3.1

132.26%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Samokov: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Samokov

$218 21.6% 29.5% $91

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Samokov

$254 25.2% 23.6% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Samokov

$145 14.4% 10.3% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Samokov

$140 13.9% 48.7% $46

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Samokov

$170 16.9% 92.6% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Samokov

$48 4.8% 10.7% $4.7

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Samokov

$33 3.3% 112% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $331 in Samokov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samokov pays 112% 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: $24.00 in Cebu vs $45.00 in Samokov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $254 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇧🇬 Samokov

🕒 Local time

13:20 1:20 PM

08:20 8:20 AM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

25,138

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Samokov 10,070 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Samokov

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 Samokov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 112% lower in Samokov. 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 $331 in Samokov. 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 $1,008 in Samokov – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 94% less than in Samokov. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $918 in Cebu versus $1,008 in Samokov, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Samokov. 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 Samokov, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Samokov 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 10% less than in Samokov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.