Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Stip

For one person, living is cheaper in Stip: $806 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Stip
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Stip Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Stip

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$806

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Stip

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $806 in Stip.

Cebu $918
Stip $806

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,205 in Stip.

Cebu $1,409
Stip $1,205

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,605 in Stip.

Cebu $1,900
Stip $1,605

Living in Cebu is roughly 14% more expensive than in Stip, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Stip 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$7.33 MKD 400

-57.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$23.62 MKD 1,288

2.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$6.30 MKD 344

-37.78%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$1.80 MKD 98.1

39.44%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$1.48 MKD 80.6

7.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$1.07 MKD 58.2

-50.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.77 MKD 96.8

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$2.79 MKD 152

-22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.23 MKD 67.2

56.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.75 MKD 40.86

81.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$1.07 MKD 58.1

-5.61%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$2.42 MKD 132

-16.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$8.12 MKD 443

21.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$7.25 MKD 395

-39.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$7.46 MKD 407

1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$0.87 MKD 47.22

279.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$1.44 MKD 78.7

-3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$1.32 MKD 72.0

76.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$1.66 MKD 90.8

-9.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.87 MKD 47.63

171.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.78 MKD 42.51

143.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.53 MKD 29.07

124.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.40 MKD 21.66

57.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$3.26 MKD 178

-7.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$7.26 MKD 396

-16.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.07 MKD 58.4

14.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.42 MKD 77.4

23.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$0.63 MKD 34.29

-60.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$23.20 MKD 1,266

-45.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$1.12 MKD 60.9

-31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.62 MKD 33.63

-62.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$5.60 MKD 306

-20.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.52 MKD 82.7

-13.82%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$36.0K MKD 2.0M

-40.93%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$27.9K MKD 1.5M

-31.37%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$157 MKD 8,562

-23.40%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$9.01 MKD 492

55.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$16.56 MKD 903

66.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$27.61 MKD 1,506

17.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$17.17 MKD 937

-61.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$6.19 MKD 338

-8.72%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$350 MKD 19.1K

-21.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$5,765 MKD 314.5K

37.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$35.68 MKD 1,946

38.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$30.62 MKD 1,670

-17.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$101 MKD 5,487

-23.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$114 MKD 6,196

-49.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$201 MKD 11.0K

148.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$126 MKD 6,876

144.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$327 MKD 17.9K

229.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$197 MKD 10.7K

212.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$1,214 MKD 66.2K

137.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$958 MKD 52.3K

100.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$462 MKD 25.2K

-25.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

4.23

70.21%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Stip: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Stip

$126 15.7% 59.2% $183

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Stip

$177 22% 14% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Stip

$183 22.7% 12.8% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Stip

$126 15.7% 34.4% $32

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Stip

$124 15.4% 40.2% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Stip

$40 5% 8.3% $3.6

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Stip

$30 3.7% 92.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $201 in Stip. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stip pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $24.00 in Stip. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $177, with Stip cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇲🇰 Stip

🕒 Local time

10:16 10:16 AM

04:16 4:16 AM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

65,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Stip 10,200 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Stip

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 Stip: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stip is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and utilities. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Stip. 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 $201 in Stip. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $806 in Stip – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stip runs roughly 84% 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 Stip gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Stip 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 Stip 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 Stip gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.