Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Toliara

For one person, living is cheaper in Toliara: $173 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 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

$918

/mo nomad

Toliara

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$173

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Toliara

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $173 in Toliara.

Cebu $918
Toliara $173

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $260 in Toliara.

Cebu $1,409
Toliara $260

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $347 in Toliara.

Cebu $1,900
Toliara $347

Living in Cebu is roughly 430% more expensive than in Toliara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Toliara 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$1.81 MGA 8,267

70.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$0.75 MGA 3,434

234.67%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.63 MGA 2,864

152.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.42 MGA 6,472

35.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$0.38 MGA 1,722

165.79%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$2.10 MGA 9,575

-3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$4.62 MGA 21.1K

-4.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$4.78 MGA 21.8K

59.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$0.67 MGA 3,061

107.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$1.69 MGA 7,708

-11.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.48 MGA 2,205

391.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.68 MGA 3,096

-7.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$1.72 MGA 7,838

74.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$5.43 MGA 24.7K

11.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$0.69 MGA 3,154

78.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

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

$120 ₱7,569

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

$14.00 ₱882

$16.30 MGA 74.3K

-14.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$32.77 MGA 149.5K

-15.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

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

$275 ₱17.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Toliara: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Toliara

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Toliara

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Toliara

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Toliara

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Toliara

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Toliara

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Toliara

–

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇲🇬 Toliara

🕒 Local time

11:38 11:38 AM

06:38 6:38 AM

5 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

168,756

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MGA, 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).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4,562 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD). 1 EUR = 5,128 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Toliara 9,480 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Toliara

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 Toliara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toliara is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 430% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,377 in Cebu and $260 in Toliara 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 110% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $173 in Toliara – a 430% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Toliara gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Toliara 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 Toliara 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 Toliara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 430% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.