Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Selfoss

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $3,460 in Selfoss, rent and utilities included – about $30,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

Jump to prices

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,460

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Selfoss

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $3,460 in Selfoss.

Cebu $934
Selfoss $3,460

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $2,461 in Selfoss.

Cebu $1,415
Selfoss $2,461

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $1,462 in Selfoss.

Cebu $1,896
Selfoss $1,462

Living in Cebu costs roughly 73% less than in Selfoss, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Selfoss is 158% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$20.81 ISK 2,538

-80.35%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$12.20 ISK 1,488

-85.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.79 ISK 219

8.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$7.61 ISK 928

-81.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$4.46 ISK 544

-77.13%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$6.56 ISK 800

-68.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$17.24 ISK 2,103

-43.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$21.77 ISK 2,655

-78.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$33.50 ISK 4,085

-77.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$2.72 ISK 332

21.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$2.75 ISK 335

-47.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.65 ISK 324

-10.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$7.51 ISK 916

-79.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$3.21 ISK 391

-26.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$2.18 ISK 266

-8.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$3.60 ISK 439

-68.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$1.44 ISK 175

-53.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$15.97 ISK 1,947

-81.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.17 ISK 143

47.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

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

$121 ₱7,563

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

$14.45 ₱907

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

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

$273 ₱17.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$2,820 ISK 343.9K

-89.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Selfoss: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Selfoss

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Selfoss

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Selfoss

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Selfoss

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Selfoss

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Selfoss

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Selfoss

–

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🕒 Local time

16:13 4:13 PM

08:13 8:13 AM

8 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

9,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.31 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD). 1 EUR = 137 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.31 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Selfoss 11,250 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Selfoss

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 Selfoss: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries and eating out. The 271% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,401 in Cebu and $5,190 in Selfoss to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 150% higher in Selfoss. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $3,460 in Selfoss – a 271% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cebu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Selfoss, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Selfoss 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 271% less than in Selfoss. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.