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 $1,792 in Solna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $2,718 in Solna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $3,643 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 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$14.86 SEK 144

-70.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$56.6 SEK 547

-57.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$10.66 SEK 103

-57.50%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$4.94 SEK 47.78

-48.99%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$3.18 SEK 30.71

-74.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$1.55 SEK 14.96

-72.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$7.43 SEK 71.8

-78.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$7.84 SEK 75.7

-72.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.53 SEK 14.79

47.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$2.68 SEK 25.92

-43.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$3.77 SEK 36.45

-69.23%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$3.84 SEK 37.13

-38.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$9.51 SEK 91.9

35.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$12.50 SEK 121

-56.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$14.81 SEK 143

-47.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$1.70 SEK 16.47

107.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$2.16 SEK 20.87

-30.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.62 SEK 25.30

25.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$3.13 SEK 30.26

-29.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$1.61 SEK 15.60

63.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$2.03 SEK 19.58

21.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$2.31 SEK 22.28

-56.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$1.08 SEK 10.45

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$7.53 SEK 72.8

-58.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$12.16 SEK 118

-47.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.46 SEK 14.12

-20.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$0.96 SEK 9.23

133.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$4.51 SEK 43.60

-94.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱945

$102 SEK 982

-84.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$3.63 SEK 35.07

-77.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$1.57 SEK 15.21

-85.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$85.1 SEK 823

-96.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.91 SEK 18.43

-42.41%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$27.3K SEK 263.9K

11.60%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$30.5K SEK 295.0K

-9.14%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$110 SEK 1,065

-12.97%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$28.28 SEK 273

20.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,838

$41.42 SEK 400

-27.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$47.03 SEK 455

-29.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$25.77 SEK 249

-67.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$15.27 SEK 148

-62.08%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$161 SEK 1,557

46.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$4,103 SEK 39.7K

-4.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$93.9 SEK 907

-43.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$42.75 SEK 413

-47.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,684

$91.9 SEK 888

-17.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$52.9 SEK 511

3.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$845 SEK 8,164

-39.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$657 SEK 6,351

-68.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$1,421 SEK 13.7K

-43.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

-64.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$6,909 SEK 66.8K

-56.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$2,895 SEK 28.0K

-32.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$3,730 SEK 36.1K

-90.89%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Solna: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $845 in Solna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Solna pays 998% 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 $57.0 in Solna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $320 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 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 998% 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: $508 in Cebu versus $845 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 $1,792 in Solna – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 562% 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 $1,792 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 105% less than in Solna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.