Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Sumba

For one person, living is cheaper in Sumba: $213 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Sumba

🇫🇴 Faroe Islands

$213

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Sumba

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $213 in Sumba.

Cebu $934
Sumba $213

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $285 in Sumba.

Cebu $1,415
Sumba $285

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $357 in Sumba.

Cebu $1,896
Sumba $357

Living in Cebu is roughly 339% more expensive than in Sumba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Sumba 84% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$2.32 FOK 15.52

-15.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$10.63 FOK 71.0

-71.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$12.06 FOK 80.6

-47.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$2.26 FOK 15.13

-42.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.84 FOK 12.31

-5.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$4.51 FOK 30.10

-94.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$1.92 FOK 12.86

-30.73%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

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

$121 ₱7,563

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

$14.45 ₱907

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$61.9 FOK 414

-54.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$37.94 FOK 253

-13.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$15.51 FOK 104

-64.80%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Sumba: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Sumba

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Sumba

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Sumba

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Sumba

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Sumba

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Sumba

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Sumba

–

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇫🇴 Sumba

🕒 Local time

15:28 3:28 PM

08:28 8:28 AM

7 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

300

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Faroese Króna FOK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 FOK = 0.15 USD

1 FOK = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

FOK, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

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).

Faroese Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 FOK (1 FOK = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 FOK (1 FOK = 0.133 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Sumba 10,960 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Sumba

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 Sumba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sumba is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 339% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,401 in Cebu and $319 in Sumba to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 237% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $213 in Sumba – a 339% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sumba gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Sumba 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 Sumba 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 Sumba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 339% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.