For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $915 a month against $1,826 in Sezana, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Sezana actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Cebu versus $1,826 in Sezana.
Cebu $915
Sezana $1,826
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Cebu versus $2,555 in Sezana.
Cebu $1,418
Sezana $2,555
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,921 in Cebu versus $3,284 in Sezana.
Cebu $1,921
Sezana $3,284
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 50% less than in Sezana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 33% below, Sezana is 35% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Sezana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.05₱192
$11.11€9.89
-72.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.00₱1,511
$55.9€49.75
-57.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.99₱251
$8.91€7.92
-55.22%
Cappuccino
$2.50₱157
$3.02€2.68
-17.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54₱97.1
$3.34€2.97
-53.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50₱31.37
$2.16€1.92
-76.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$3.49€3.10
-49.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱136
$4.54€4.04
-52.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Sezana
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.00₱126
$1.31€1.16
52.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.37₱86.2
$1.86€1.65
-26.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.03₱64.9
$2.81€2.50
-63.35%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$3.98€3.54
-48.99%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.20₱642
$18.38€16.35
-44.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.45₱280
$9.29€8.26
-52.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.67₱483
$14.21€12.64
-46.02%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31₱208
$2.27€2.02
45.81%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46₱91.8
$1.87€1.67
-21.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32₱146
$2.29€2.04
1.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.49₱94.0
$3.73€3.32
-60.05%
Potato(1kg)
$2.34₱147
$1.63€1.45
43.56%
Onion(1kg)
$1.94₱122
$1.85€1.64
4.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.16₱73.0
$1.71€1.52
-32.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68₱42.89
$1.12€1.00
-39.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.99₱188
$5.90€5.25
-49.32%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.24₱393
$7.76€6.90
-19.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.3
$1.36€1.21
-9.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73₱109
$2.54€2.26
-31.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Sezana
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.23₱14.36
$1.55€1.38
-85.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.34₱777
$30.01€26.69
-58.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.79₱49.96
$1.64€1.46
-51.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.22₱13.86
$1.34€1.19
-83.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.54₱286
$27.83€24.75
-83.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32₱82.9
$1.82€1.62
-27.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K₱1.3M
$29.0K€25.8K
-27.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K₱1.2M
$23.9K€21.2K
-18.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Sezana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$119₱7,464
$285€254
-58.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.22₱896
$24.65€21.93
-42.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.47₱1,730
$38.39€34.15
-28.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Sezana
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.31₱2,034
$51.9€46.15
-37.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.50₱409
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.40₱340
$7.63€6.78
-29.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Sezana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$276₱17.4K
$493€438
-43.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,866₱495.3K
$11.3K€10.1K
-30.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Sezana
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.37₱3,108
$117€104
-57.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.58₱1,548
$36.90€32.83
-33.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.6₱4,825
$122€108
-37.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.9₱3,706
$144€128
-58.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Sezana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$503₱31.7K
$812€722
-37.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$305₱19.2K
$667€594
-54.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,075₱67.7K
$1,206€1,073
-10.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$632₱39.8K
$865€770
-26.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,870₱180.7K
$3,051€2,714
-5.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,877₱118.2K
$2,778€2,471
-32.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Sezana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$336₱21.1K
$899€800
-62.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
3.29
118.84%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026
Last update for Sezana: October 18, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$305 33.3%
Sezana
$667 36.6% ↑ 119%$363
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210 22.9%
Sezana
$310 17% ↑ 47.8%$100
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$160 17.5%
Sezana
$348 19.1% ↑ 117%$188
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.3%
Sezana
$189 10.3% ↑ 100%$94
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Sezana
$200 11% ↑ 128%$113
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$43 4.7%
Sezana
$67 3.7% ↑ 55.8%$24
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$15 1.7%
Sezana
$45 2.4% ↑ 194%$29
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$632 32.9%
Sezana
$865 26.3% ↑ 36.9%$233
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$491 25.6%
Sezana
$725 22.1% ↑ 47.5%$233
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$174 9.1%
Sezana
$373 11.4% ↑ 114%$198
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 10.9%
Sezana
$419 12.8% ↑ 100%$210
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$290 15.1%
Sezana
$676 20.6% ↑ 133%$386
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$93 4.8%
Sezana
$134 * 4.1% ↑ 44.8%$42
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$31 1.6%
Sezana
$92 2.8% ↑ 200%$61
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 $503 in Cebu and $812 in Sezana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sezana pays 168% 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 $56.0 in Sezana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $310 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
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 Sezana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sezana cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Sezana?
On paper, salaries run 168% lower in Sezana. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Sezana?
Rent for a central apartment: $503 in Cebu versus $812 in Sezana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Sezana?
All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Cebu versus $1,826 in Sezana – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 143% less than in Sezana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Sezana?
At $915 in Cebu versus $1,826 in Sezana, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Sezana. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Sezana more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sezana, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Sezana?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Sezana are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Sezana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.