Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Tabuk

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,234 in Tabuk, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Tabuk
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Tabuk Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Tabuk

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,234

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Tabuk

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,234 in Tabuk.

Cebu $918
Tabuk $1,234

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,834 in Tabuk.

Cebu $1,409
Tabuk $1,834

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $2,434 in Tabuk.

Cebu $1,900
Tabuk $2,434

Living in Cebu costs roughly 26% less than in Tabuk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Tabuk 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$7.64 SAR 28.66

-59.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$31.43 SAR 118

-22.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$7.79 SAR 29.22

-49.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$3.21 SAR 12.05

-21.81%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.78 SAR 2.93

103.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.26 SAR 0.97

103.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$2.01 SAR 7.55

-4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.92 SAR 3.46

47.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$2.74 SAR 10.28

-63.14%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$2.87 SAR 10.77

-29.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$12.52 SAR 46.97

-21.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$6.78 SAR 25.45

-35.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$12.65 SAR 47.46

-39.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$1.99 SAR 7.48

65.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$1.76 SAR 6.60

32.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$2.21 SAR 8.31

-32.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$1.69 SAR 6.35

39.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$2.10 SAR 7.88

-9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$1.90 SAR 7.12

-37.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.61 SAR 2.28

3.28%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$6.57 SAR 24.65

-54.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-76.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$36.33 SAR 136

-65.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$2.60 SAR 9.76

-70.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$1.82 SAR 6.81

-87.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$13.43 SAR 50.4

-66.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$0.66 SAR 2.46

98.48%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$43.9K SAR 164.7K

-51.60%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$20.8K SAR 78.1K

-8.02%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$102 SAR 385

17.33%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$37.35 SAR 140

-62.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$77.0 SAR 289

-64.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$82.2 SAR 308

-60.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-58.24%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$424 SAR 1,592

-35.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$8,651 SAR 32.5K

-8.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$41.90 SAR 157

17.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$54.5 SAR 204

-53.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$95.3 SAR 357

-19.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$86.8 SAR 326

-34.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$343 SAR 1,286

45.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$380 SAR 1,427

-18.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$638 SAR 2,396

68.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$615 SAR 2,308

0.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$2,358 SAR 8,848

22.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$1,359 SAR 5,100

41.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$1,712 SAR 6,423

-79.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

5.54

29.96%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Tabuk: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Tabuk

$380 30.8% 23.1% $71

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Tabuk

$223 18.1% 8.5% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Tabuk

$217 17.6% 34% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Tabuk

$125 10.2% 33.4% $31

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Tabuk

$127 10.3% 44.1% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Tabuk

$109 8.9% 150% $66

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Tabuk

$52 4.2% 235% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $343 in Tabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tabuk pays 395% 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 $31.00 in Tabuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $223 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇸🇦 Tabuk

🕒 Local time

10:06 10:06 AM

05:06 5:06 AM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

512,629

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Tabuk 9,210 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Tabuk

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 Tabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 395% lower in Tabuk. 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 $343 in Tabuk. 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 $1,234 in Tabuk – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 187% less than in Tabuk. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $918 in Cebu versus $1,234 in Tabuk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Tabuk. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tabuk, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Tabuk 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Tabuk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.