Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Sao Tome and Principe

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,214 in Sao Tome and Principe, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. The total is higher in Sao Tome and Principe despite lower rent and utilities.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe
$1,214
/mo nomad
🙂 Solo nomad: Cebu is 37.4% cheaper than Sao Tome and Principe without rent, and 23.1% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Cebu is 42.7% cheaper than Sao Tome and Principe without rent, and 28.2% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03 ₱190
$8.81 STN 192
-65.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48 ₱1,473
$45.70 STN 999
-48.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.09 ₱256
$8.62 STN 188
-52.55%
Cappuccino
$2.52 ₱158
$2.42 STN 52.8
4.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₱96.9
$1.74 STN 38.06
-11.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₱30.98
$1.12 STN 24.57
-56.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.79 ₱112
$1.76 STN 38.46
1.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 ₱142
$1.80 STN 39.44
25.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ₱122
$1.58 STN 34.44
23.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ₱89.7
$1.53 STN 33.42
-6.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.02 ₱63.8
$1.95 STN 42.63
-47.69%
Eggs
$2.06 ₱129
$4.50 STN 98.3
-54.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.81 ₱615
$19.41 STN 424
-49.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.61 ₱289
$19.55 STN 427
-76.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.70 ₱483
$20.90 STN 457
-63.16%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 ₱207
$3.72 STN 81.2
-11.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 ₱90.9
$1.76 STN 38.50
-17.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 ₱148
$3.58 STN 78.3
-34.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 ₱96.4
$3.37 STN 73.7
-54.30%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱148
$2.92 STN 63.9
-19.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 ₱125
$2.37 STN 51.7
-16.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 ₱72.1
$0.51 STN 11.06
125.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 ₱42.15
$1.98 STN 43.32
-66.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱188
$2.25 STN 49.25
33.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.35 ₱398
$8.12 STN 177
-21.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₱81.9
$1.41 STN 30.74
-7.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 ₱108
$1.70 STN 37.22
1.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.78
$1.41 STN 30.77
-82.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.65 ₱793
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.74 ₱46.32
$1.73 STN 37.81
-57.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.21 ₱13.11
$2.64 STN 57.8
-92.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.33 ₱271
$13.90 STN 304
-68.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 ₱83.5
$1.69 STN 37.00
-21.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₱1.4M
$24.3K STN 531.2K
-10.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K ₱1.2M
$31.1K STN 678.7K
-37.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$121 ₱7,563
$225 STN 4,918
-46.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45 ₱907
$31.43 STN 687
-54.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29 ₱1,774
$67.6 STN 1,477
-58.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.68 ₱2,050
$33.47 STN 731
-2.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39 ₱401
$25.52 STN 558
-74.96%
Cinema Ticket
$5.46 ₱342
$20.45 STN 447
-73.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$273 ₱17.1K
$228 STN 4,976
20.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,156 ₱511.5K
$2,161 STN 47.2K
277.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57 ₱3,109
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87 ₱1,560
$75.8 STN 1,656
-67.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.6 ₱4,804
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3 ₱3,717
$18.52 STN 405
219.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$506 ₱31.7K
$283 STN 6,178
78.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$195 STN 4,256
58.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,052 ₱66.0K
$946 STN 20.7K
11.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$619 ₱38.8K
$441 STN 9,627
40.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,915 ₱182.9K
$1,860 STN 40.6K
56.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,867 ₱117.1K
$1,129 STN 24.7K
65.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$341 ₱21.4K
$431 STN 9,428
-20.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
7.38
-2.44%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome and Principe: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Sao Tome and Principe
$195 37% $115
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210
Sao Tome and Principe
$402 91% $192
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163
Sao Tome and Principe
$324 98.5% $161
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95
Sao Tome and Principe
$42 * 55.2% $52
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Sao Tome and Principe
$149 68.8% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Sao Tome and Principe
$74 70.6% $31
Getting Around
Cebu
$15
Sao Tome and Principe
$21 * 33.3% $5.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe
🕒 Local time
17:54 5:54 PM
09:54 9:54 AM
8 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
204,327
Exchange rates and currency converter

STN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.28 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Sao Tome and Principe Dobra exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 21.85 STN (100 STN = 4.58 USD). 1 EUR = 24.48 STN (100 STN = 4.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Sao Tome and Principe 12,970 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Sao Tome and Principe

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 other spots: cost of living compared

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