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: $936 in Cebu versus $1,828 in Solna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in Cebu versus $2,821 in Solna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,918 in Cebu versus $3,815 in Solna.

Living in Cebu costs roughly 49% less than in Solna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Solna is 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱193

$14.58 SEK 140

-78.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 ₱1,488

$69.5 SEK 669

-65.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 ₱257

$11.86 SEK 114

-65.43%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$5.21 SEK 50.2

-50.10%

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

$1.55 ₱96.9

$2.38 SEK 22.96

-34.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱33.46

$1.54 SEK 14.88

-64.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 ₱108

$7.67 SEK 73.8

-77.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱137

$7.76 SEK 74.7

-71.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱120

$1.51 SEK 14.58

27.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱87.1

$2.67 SEK 25.75

-47.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱60.8

$3.77 SEK 36.27

-74.27%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱125

$4.25 SEK 40.94

-52.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ₱621

$9.26 SEK 89.1

7.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 ₱274

$13.43 SEK 129

-67.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 ₱463

$23.66 SEK 228

-68.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱217

$3.37 SEK 32.48

2.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱91.7

$2.08 SEK 20.06

-29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$2.66 SEK 25.58

-9.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.5

$3.09 SEK 29.77

-50.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.60 SEK 15.37

47.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱119

$1.96 SEK 18.85

-2.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₱77.3

$2.32 SEK 22.31

-46.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱41.42

$1.08 SEK 10.41

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$8.02 SEK 77.2

-62.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ₱380

$12.41 SEK 120

-51.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.8

$1.39 SEK 13.39

-5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$2.24 SEK 21.60

-22.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.65

$4.29 SEK 41.31

-94.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱796

$103 SEK 989

-87.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.78

$3.64 SEK 35.03

-79.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.41

$2.96 SEK 28.49

-92.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 ₱288

$85.5 SEK 823

-94.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₱83.7

$1.92 SEK 18.47

-30.21%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$34.3K SEK 330.1K

-36.47%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$33.6K SEK 323.7K

-42.20%

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

$121 ₱7,564

$112 SEK 1,075

8.39%

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

$14.86 ₱929

$23.29 SEK 224

-36.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.84 ₱1,741

$42.47 SEK 409

-34.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.06 ₱2,005

$39.37 SEK 379

-18.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.43 ₱402

$26.64 SEK 257

-75.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 ₱352

$15.18 SEK 146

-62.85%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$159 SEK 1,529

72.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,017 ₱501.3K

$5,239 SEK 50.5K

53.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.77 ₱3,050

$111 SEK 1,069

-56.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 ₱1,594

$42.10 SEK 405

-39.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 ₱4,884

$91.3 SEK 879

-14.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₱3,616

$144 SEK 1,385

-59.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.3K

$835 SEK 8,039

-40.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₱18.7K

$612 SEK 5,897

-51.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 ₱68.1K

$1,428 SEK 13.7K

-23.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.5K

$1,070 SEK 10.3K

-40.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,888 ₱180.6K

$7,162 SEK 69.0K

-59.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱117.3K

$3,005 SEK 28.9K

-37.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.7K

$3,932 SEK 37.9K

-91.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

3.53

103.97%

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

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Solna: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $835 in Solna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Solna pays 1035% 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 $69.0 in Solna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $362 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1035% lower in Solna. 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: $500 in Cebu versus $835 in Solna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $936 per month in Cebu versus $1,828 in Solna – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 707% less than in Solna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $936 in Cebu versus $1,828 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 95% less than in Solna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.