Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Sundsvall

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,722 in Sundsvall, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
Sundsvall
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,722
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Sundsvall

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,722 in Sundsvall.

  • Cebu $934
  • Sundsvall $1,722

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $2,622 in Sundsvall.

  • Cebu $1,415
  • Sundsvall $2,622

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $3,523 in Sundsvall.

  • Cebu $1,896
  • Sundsvall $3,523

Living in Cebu costs roughly 46% less than in Sundsvall, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 30% below, Sundsvall is 28% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Sundsvall
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03 ₱190
$14.99 SEK 150
-79.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48 ₱1,473
$81.2 SEK 812
-71.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.09 ₱256
$10.97 SEK 110
-62.72%
Cappuccino
$2.52 ₱158
$4.56 SEK 45.58
-44.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₱96.9
$2.40 SEK 23.97
-35.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₱30.98
$1.84 SEK 18.35
-73.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.79 ₱112
$8.55 SEK 85.5
-79.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 ₱142
$7.62 SEK 76.1
-70.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Sundsvall
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ₱122
$1.49 SEK 14.91
30.87%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ₱89.7
$2.95 SEK 29.48
-51.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.02 ₱63.8
$3.47 SEK 34.66
-70.61%
Eggs
$2.06 ₱129
$3.40 SEK 34.02
-39.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.81 ₱615
$9.29 SEK 92.8
5.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.61 ₱289
$9.63 SEK 96.3
-52.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.70 ₱483
$17.36 SEK 174
-55.65%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 ₱207
$2.61 SEK 26.10
26.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 ₱90.9
$2.31 SEK 23.05
-37.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 ₱148
$2.43 SEK 24.31
-2.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 ₱96.4
$4.00 SEK 40.01
-61.50%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱148
$1.40 SEK 14.02
68.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 ₱125
$1.35 SEK 13.47
47.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 ₱72.1
$1.78 SEK 17.75
-35.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 ₱42.15
$0.94 SEK 9.43
-28.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱188
$7.34 SEK 73.3
-59.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.35 ₱398
$9.00 SEK 90.0
-29.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₱81.9
$1.71 SEK 17.04
-23.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 ₱108
$1.38 SEK 13.77
25.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Sundsvall
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.78
$3.24 SEK 32.35
-92.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.65 ₱793
$84.1 SEK 840
-84.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.74 ₱46.32
$6.08 SEK 60.8
-87.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.21 ₱13.11
$5.81 SEK 58.1
-96.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.33 ₱271
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 ₱83.5
$1.66 SEK 16.55
-19.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₱1.4M
$31.1K SEK 311.1K
-30.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K ₱1.2M
$30.1K SEK 300.9K
-35.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Sundsvall
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$121 ₱7,563
$99.6 SEK 996
21.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45 ₱907
$28.61 SEK 286
-49.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.29 ₱1,774
$36.42 SEK 364
-22.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Sundsvall
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.68 ₱2,050
$40.61 SEK 406
-19.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.39 ₱401
$15.70 SEK 157
-59.30%
Cinema Ticket
$5.46 ₱342
$13.86 SEK 139
-60.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Sundsvall
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$273 ₱17.1K
$134 SEK 1,340
103.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,156 ₱511.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Sundsvall
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57 ₱3,109
$92.2 SEK 921
-46.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.87 ₱1,560
$19.76 SEK 197
25.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.6 ₱4,804
$67.3 SEK 672
13.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3 ₱3,717
$123 SEK 1,228
-51.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Sundsvall
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$506 ₱31.7K
$659 SEK 6,583
-23.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$591 SEK 5,908
-47.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,052 ₱66.0K
$1,184 SEK 11.8K
-11.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$619 ₱38.8K
$877 SEK 8,767
-29.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,915 ₱182.9K
$2,411 SEK 24.1K
20.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,867 ₱117.1K
$1,689 SEK 16.9K
10.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Sundsvall
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$341 ₱21.4K
$2,993 SEK 29.9K
-88.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
3.88
85.57%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Sundsvall: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Sundsvall
$591 91.1% $282
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210
Sundsvall
$311 47.9% $101
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$163
Sundsvall
$165 0.8% $1.3
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$95
Sundsvall
$136 43.7% $41
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Sundsvall
$282 220% $194
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Sundsvall
$68 56.7% $25
Getting Around
Cebu
$15
Sundsvall
$132 756% $117

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $659 in Sundsvall. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sundsvall pays 778% 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 $81.0 in Sundsvall for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $311 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇸🇪 Sundsvall
🕒 Local time
15:30 3:30 PM
09:30 9:30 AM
6 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
57,606
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, 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).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.99 SEK (1 SEK = 0.1 USD). 1 EUR = 11.21 SEK (100 SEK = 8.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Sundsvall 9,830 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Sundsvall

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 Sundsvall: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sundsvall cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Sundsvall?
On paper, salaries run 778% lower in Sundsvall. 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 Sundsvall?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $659 in Sundsvall. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Sundsvall?
All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $1,722 in Sundsvall – a 84% 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 565% less than in Sundsvall. 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 Sundsvall?
At $934 in Cebu versus $1,722 in Sundsvall, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Sundsvall. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Sundsvall more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sundsvall, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Sundsvall?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Sundsvall 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 84% less than in Sundsvall. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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