Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Solna Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Solna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $1,773 in Solna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Cebu versus $2,691 in Solna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Cebu versus $3,610 in Solna.

Living in Cebu costs roughly 51% less than in Solna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 35% below, Solna is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 ₱267

$14.78 SEK 138

-70.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ₱1,489

$56.1 SEK 523

-56.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₱269

$10.42 SEK 97.2

-58.16%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱159

$5.02 SEK 46.87

-48.80%

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

$0.84 ₱52.1

$3.19 SEK 29.81

-73.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.36

$1.51 SEK 14.10

-71.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$7.63 SEK 71.2

-79.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$8.13 SEK 75.8

-74.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱137

$1.56 SEK 14.53

41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$2.67 SEK 24.91

-43.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$3.78 SEK 35.24

-70.63%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$3.92 SEK 36.60

-40.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 ₱803

$9.56 SEK 89.2

36.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱330

$12.28 SEK 115

-56.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$14.88 SEK 139

-49.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$1.66 SEK 15.45

115.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$2.16 SEK 20.13

-32.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$2.60 SEK 24.28

30.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$3.19 SEK 29.74

-31.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$1.55 SEK 14.43

67.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.04 SEK 19.02

21.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$2.35 SEK 21.90

-60.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.95

$1.11 SEK 10.38

-28.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ₱192

$7.55 SEK 70.4

-58.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 ₱402

$14.78 SEK 138

-55.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.4

$1.40 SEK 13.07

-13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$0.91 SEK 8.48

154.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.41

$4.54 SEK 42.40

-93.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.00 ₱925

$100 SEK 936

-85.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$3.78 SEK 35.23

-77.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$1.58 SEK 14.74

-84.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$85.5 SEK 798

-96.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.96 SEK 18.26

-44.39%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$27.2K SEK 253.7K

10.71%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$30.1K SEK 281.2K

-10.41%

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

$95.4 ₱5,880

$109 SEK 1,014

-12.29%

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

$33.83 ₱2,086

$28.80 SEK 269

17.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 ₱1,836

$41.35 SEK 386

-27.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 ₱2,029

$47.03 SEK 439

-30.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 ₱520

$25.68 SEK 240

-67.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱360

$15.01 SEK 140

-61.09%

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

$233 ₱14.3K

$157 SEK 1,467

47.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 ₱240.1K

$4,218 SEK 39.4K

-7.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₱3,297

$93.5 SEK 873

-42.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.75 ₱1,403

$42.46 SEK 396

-46.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ₱4,729

$93.7 SEK 874

-18.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,359

$52.5 SEK 490

3.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱31.8K

$840 SEK 7,841

-38.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.9K

$657 SEK 6,130

-68.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₱49.6K

$1,416 SEK 13.2K

-43.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$1,090 SEK 10.2K

-63.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ₱182.2K

$7,167 SEK 66.9K

-58.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₱118.6K

$5,298 SEK 49.4K

-63.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱22.5K

$3,958 SEK 36.9K

-90.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

66.67%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Solna: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Cebu and $840 in Solna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Solna pays 986% 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 Solna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $325 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

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 Solna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Solna earns 986% less. 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: $515 in Cebu versus $840 in Solna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $873 per month in Cebu versus $1,773 in Solna – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 569% less than in Solna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $873 in Cebu versus $1,773 in Solna, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Solna. 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 Solna, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Solna 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 103% less than in Solna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.