Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Southampton

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,681 in Southampton, rent and utilities included – about $21,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
Southampton
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,681
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Southampton

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $2,681 in Southampton.

  • Cebu $934
  • Southampton $2,681

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $3,835 in Southampton.

  • Cebu $1,415
  • Southampton $3,835

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $4,989 in Southampton.

  • Cebu $1,896
  • Southampton $4,989

Living in Cebu costs roughly 65% less than in Southampton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Southampton is 100% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Southampton
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03 ₱190
$26.05 £19.68
-88.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48 ₱1,473
$90.7 £68.5
-74.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.09 ₱256
$11.35 £8.57
-63.96%
Cappuccino
$2.52 ₱158
$5.14 £3.89
-50.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₱96.9
$2.97 £2.24
-48.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₱30.98
$2.14 £1.62
-77.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.79 ₱112
$7.48 £5.65
-76.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 ₱142
$6.53 £4.94
-65.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Southampton
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ₱122
$1.96 £1.48
-0.51%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ₱89.7
$1.73 £1.31
-17.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.02 ₱63.8
$2.98 £2.25
-65.77%
Eggs
$2.06 ₱129
$4.54 £3.43
-54.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.81 ₱615
$9.89 £7.47
-0.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.61 ₱289
$9.43 £7.12
-51.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.70 ₱483
$14.27 £10.78
-46.04%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 ₱207
$2.99 £2.26
10.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 ₱90.9
$1.75 £1.32
-17.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 ₱148
$2.89 £2.18
-18.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 ₱96.4
$3.55 £2.68
-56.62%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱148
$1.78 £1.34
32.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 ₱125
$1.51 £1.14
31.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 ₱72.1
$1.24 £0.94
-7.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 ₱42.15
$1.74 £1.32
-61.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱188
$21.37 £16.15
-85.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.35 ₱398
$10.85 £8.20
-41.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₱81.9
$2.95 £2.23
-55.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 ₱108
$3.46 £2.62
-50.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Southampton
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.78
$3.13 £2.36
-92.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.65 ₱793
$86.2 £65.1
-85.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.74 ₱46.32
$4.27 £3.23
-82.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.21 ₱13.11
$1.93 £1.46
-89.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.33 ₱271
$31.36 £23.70
-86.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 ₱83.5
$2.09 £1.58
-36.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₱1.4M
$37.7K £28.5K
-42.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K ₱1.2M
$40.2K £30.3K
-51.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Southampton
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$121 ₱7,563
$325 £245
-62.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45 ₱907
$29.44 £22.25
-50.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29 ₱1,774
$53.9 £40.75
-47.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Southampton
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.68 ₱2,050
$41.02 £31.00
-20.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39 ₱401
$16.46 £12.44
-61.18%
Cinema Ticket
$5.46 ₱342
$15.69 £11.85
-65.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Southampton
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$273 ₱17.1K
$1,560 £1,179
-82.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,156 ₱511.5K
$17.8K £13.4K
-54.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Southampton
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57 ₱3,109
$103 £77.8
-51.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87 ₱1,560
$50.9 £38.49
-51.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.6 ₱4,804
$99.4 £75.1
-22.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3 ₱3,717
$133 £101
-55.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Southampton
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$506 ₱31.7K
$1,500 £1,133
-66.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$1,192 £901
-74.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,052 ₱66.0K
$2,397 £1,811
-56.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$619 ₱38.8K
$1,859 £1,405
-66.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,915 ₱182.9K
$5,870 £4,436
-50.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,867 ₱117.1K
$5,381 £4,066
-65.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Southampton
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$341 ₱21.4K
$3,333 £2,519
-89.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
4.96
45.16%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Southampton: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Southampton
$1.2K 285% $883
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210
Southampton
$319 51.6% $109
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163
Southampton
$408 150% $245
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95
Southampton
$174 83.7% $79
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Southampton
$375 324% $287
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Southampton
$72 66% $29
Getting Around
Cebu
$15
Southampton
$113 629% $97

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $1,500 in Southampton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Southampton pays 877% 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 $91.0 in Southampton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $319 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇬🇧 Southampton
🕒 Local time
16:22 4:22 PM
09:22 9:22 AM
7 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
228,600
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.756 GBP (1 GBP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.848 GBP (1 GBP = 1.18 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Southampton 11,420 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Southampton

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 Southampton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Southampton cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 187% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Southampton?
On paper, salaries run 877% lower in Southampton. 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 Southampton?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $1,500 in Southampton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Southampton?
All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $2,681 in Southampton – a 187% 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 581% less than in Southampton. 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 Southampton?
At $934 in Cebu versus $2,681 in Southampton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Southampton. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Southampton more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Southampton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Southampton?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Southampton 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 187% less than in Southampton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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