Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Shiraz

For one person, living is cheaper in Shiraz: $551 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Shiraz
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Shiraz Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Shiraz

🇮🇷 Iran

$551

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Shiraz

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $551 in Shiraz.

Cebu $934
Shiraz $551

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $810 in Shiraz.

Cebu $1,415
Shiraz $810

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $1,069 in Shiraz.

Cebu $1,896
Shiraz $1,069

Living in Cebu is roughly 70% more expensive than in Shiraz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Shiraz 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱191

$4.62 $4.62

-34.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,476

$13.16 $13.16

78.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱257

$3.92 $3.92

4.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 $1.03

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$1.17 $1.17

115.38%

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

$1.54 ₱97.2

$0.66 $0.66

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱113

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$0.67 $0.67

191.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.9

$0.41 $0.41

248.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$1.90 $1.90

-46.32%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$1.22 $1.22

68.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱617

$2.35 $2.35

317.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱290

$2.95 $2.95

56.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱484

$9.81 $9.81

-21.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$1.12 $1.12

195.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

$1.54 $1.54

-5.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.89 $0.89

165.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

$0.55 $0.55

180.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.55 $0.55

329.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$0.55 $0.55

261.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.3

$0.51 $0.51

125.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.26

$0.17 $0.17

294.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.87 $0.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$3.04 $3.04

-1.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱399

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

$0.11 $0.11

127.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱796

$3.09 $3.09

309.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.44

$0.38 $0.38

94.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.21 $0.21

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$3.44 $3.44

25.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$66.0K $66.0K

-67.01%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$53.1K $53.1K

-63.48%

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

$121 ₱7,583

$23.64 $23.64

410.07%

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

$14.45 ₱909

$2.06 $2.06

601.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,779

$17.07 $17.07

65.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,055

$18.96 $18.96

72.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱402

$13.51 $13.51

-52.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱343

$1.98 $1.98

175.76%

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

$273 ₱17.2K

$104 $104

162.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱512.9K

$2,421 $2,421

236.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,117

$22.81 $22.81

117.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,564

$18.49 $18.49

34.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,817

$95.2 $95.2

-19.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,727

$56.0 $56.0

5.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.8K

$291 $291

74.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

$217 $217

42.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.1K

$537 $537

95.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.9K

$321 $321

92.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱183.4K

$1,164 $1,164

150.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.4K

$503 $503

271.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.5K

$243 $243

40.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

24.3

-70.37%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Shiraz: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Shiraz

$217 40% 30% $93

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Shiraz

$103 18.9% 51.3% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Shiraz

$43 7.9% 73.8% $121

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Shiraz

$87 16% 8.4% $8

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Shiraz

$65 * 12.1% 26% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Shiraz

$23 4.2% 47.4% $21

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Shiraz

$5 0.9% 67.9% $10

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 $506 in Cebu and $291 in Shiraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 41% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $13.00 in Shiraz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $103 per month, with Shiraz cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇮🇷 Shiraz

🕒 Local time

10:48 10:48 AM

06:18 6:18 AM

4 h 30 min behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,565,572

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Shiraz 7,650 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Shiraz

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 Shiraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shiraz is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $291 in Shiraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $551 in Shiraz – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Shiraz runs roughly 309% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

For families, Shiraz 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 Shiraz 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 Shiraz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.