Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Sutomore

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $915 a month against $1,095 in Sutomore, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. The total is higher in Sutomore despite lower rent and utilities.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$915
/mo nomad
Sutomore
🇲🇪 Montenegro
$1,095
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Sutomore

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Cebu versus $1,095 in Sutomore.

  • Cebu $915
  • Sutomore $1,095

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Cebu versus $1,682 in Sutomore.

  • Cebu $1,418
  • Sutomore $1,682

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,921 in Cebu versus $2,269 in Sutomore.

  • Cebu $1,921
  • Sutomore $2,269

Living in Cebu costs roughly 16% less than in Sutomore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 33% lower, Sutomore 19% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Sutomore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.05 ₱192
$11.24 €10.00
-72.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.00 ₱1,511
$35.96 €31.99
-33.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.99 ₱251
$9.16 €8.14
-56.44%
Cappuccino
$2.50 ₱157
$2.59 €2.30
-3.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₱97.1
$2.20 €1.96
-30.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ₱31.37
$1.47 €1.31
-65.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$2.85 €2.53
-37.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱136
$3.44 €3.06
-36.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Sutomore
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.00 ₱126
$1.19 €1.06
68.07%
White Bread (500g)
$1.37 ₱86.2
$1.01 €0.90
35.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.03 ₱64.9
$2.25 €2.00
-54.22%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$3.08 €2.74
-34.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.20 ₱642
$8.77 €7.80
16.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.45 ₱280
$7.55 €6.71
-41.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.67 ₱483
$12.24 €10.89
-37.34%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 ₱208
$1.26 €1.12
162.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 ₱91.8
$1.49 €1.32
-2.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.32 ₱146
$1.47 €1.31
57.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.49 ₱94.0
$2.87 €2.56
-48.08%
Potato (1kg)
$2.34 ₱147
$0.85 €0.75
175.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 ₱122
$1.09 €0.97
77.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 ₱73.0
$1.46 €1.30
-20.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 ₱42.89
$0.89 €0.79
-23.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.99 ₱188
$3.85 €3.42
-22.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.24 ₱393
$4.56 €4.05
36.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.3
$1.24 €1.10
-0.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 ₱109
$1.68 €1.50
2.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Sutomore
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 ₱14.36
$1.65 €1.47
-86.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.34 ₱777
$38.44 €34.19
-67.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.79 ₱49.96
$1.14 €1.01
-30.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 ₱13.86
$1.14 €1.01
-80.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.54 ₱286
$16.91 €15.04
-73.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 ₱82.9
$1.77 €1.57
-25.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ₱1.3M
$28.7K €25.5K
-26.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K ₱1.2M
$21.3K €18.9K
-8.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Sutomore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$119 ₱7,464
$133 €118
-10.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.22 ₱896
$13.19 €11.73
7.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.47 ₱1,730
$33.34 €29.65
-17.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Sutomore
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.31 ₱2,034
$45.68 €40.63
-29.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.50 ₱409
$14.42 €12.83
-54.92%
Cinema Ticket
$5.40 ₱340
$5.97 €5.31
-9.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Sutomore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$276 ₱17.4K
$395 €352
-30.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,866 ₱495.3K
$6,959 €6,190
13.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Sutomore
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.37 ₱3,108
$84.5 €75.2
-41.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.58 ₱1,548
$33.24 €29.56
-26.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.6 ₱4,825
$72.2 €64.2
6.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.9 ₱3,706
$93.0 €82.8
-36.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Sutomore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$503 ₱31.7K
$370 €329
36.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$305 ₱19.2K
$275 €245
10.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 ₱67.7K
$559 €497
92.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$632 ₱39.8K
$494 €439
28.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,870 ₱180.7K
$3,356 €2,985
-14.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,877 ₱118.2K
$2,300 €2,046
-18.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Sutomore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$336 ₱21.1K
$669 €595
-49.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
5
44.00%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Sutomore: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$305
Sutomore
$275 9.7% $29
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$210
Sutomore
$219 4.7% $9.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$160
Sutomore
$179 11.8% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Sutomore
$127 35.1% $33
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Sutomore
$184 110% $97
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$43
Sutomore
$58 33.7% $15
Getting Around
Cebu
$15
Sutomore
$52 243% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Cebu and $370 in Sutomore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sutomore pays 99% 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 $36.00 in Sutomore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $219 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇲🇪 Sutomore
🕒 Local time
01:48 1:48 AM
19:48 7:48 PM
6 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
2,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Sutomore 10,440 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Sutomore

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 Sutomore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sutomore cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Sutomore?
On paper, salaries run 99% lower in Sutomore. 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 Sutomore?
Rent for a central apartment: $503 in Cebu versus $370 in Sutomore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Sutomore?
All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Cebu versus $1,095 in Sutomore – a 20% 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 212% less than in Sutomore. 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 Sutomore?
At $915 in Cebu versus $1,095 in Sutomore, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Sutomore. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Sutomore more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sutomore, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Sutomore?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Sutomore 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 20% less than in Sutomore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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