Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Townsville

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,740 in Townsville, rent and utilities included – about $21,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Townsville
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Townsville Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Townsville

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,740

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Townsville

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $2,740 in Townsville.

Cebu $918
Townsville $2,740

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $4,002 in Townsville.

Cebu $1,409
Townsville $4,002

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $5,265 in Townsville.

Cebu $1,900
Townsville $5,265

Living in Cebu costs roughly 67% less than in Townsville, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Townsville is 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$20.94 A$30.13

-85.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$67.6 A$97.3

-64.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$11.69 A$16.82

-66.47%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$3.60 A$5.18

-30.28%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$2.49 A$3.59

-36.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$2.38 A$3.43

-77.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$8.10 A$11.66

-78.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$6.94 A$9.98

-68.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.85 A$2.66

3.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$2.19 A$3.15

-37.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$1.43 A$2.06

-29.37%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$5.30 A$7.63

-61.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$7.84 A$11.29

25.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$9.93 A$14.29

-55.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$13.24 A$19.05

-42.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$3.95 A$5.69

-16.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$2.64 A$3.80

-47.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$3.56 A$5.13

-34.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$4.20 A$6.05

-64.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$2.57 A$3.70

-8.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$2.52 A$3.63

-24.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$2.29 A$3.30

-48.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$2.14 A$3.08

-70.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$30.34 A$43.66

-90.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$10.37 A$14.92

-41.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$6.70 A$9.65

-81.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$8.45 A$12.15

-79.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$2.10 A$3.02

-88.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$77.0 A$111

-83.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$3.91 A$5.63

-80.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$2.37 A$3.42

-90.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$52.6 A$75.6

-91.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$1.30 A$1.87

0.77%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$28.0K A$40.4K

-24.26%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$34.0K A$48.9K

-43.68%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$379 A$546

-68.29%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$35.76 A$51.5

-60.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$67.6 A$97.2

-59.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$55.3 A$79.6

-41.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$19.74 A$28.40

-66.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$15.26 A$21.96

-62.98%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$2,105 A$3,029

-86.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$21.2K A$30.4K

-62.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$91.9 A$132

-46.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$69.9 A$101

-63.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$163 A$234

-52.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$129 A$186

-55.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$1,315 A$1,892

-62.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$1,177 A$1,694

-73.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$2,467 A$3,551

-56.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$2,081 A$2,995

-70.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$4,850 A$6,979

-40.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$3,960 A$5,699

-51.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$4,115 A$5,921

-91.59%

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 Townsville: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Townsville

$1.2K 43% 281% $868

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Townsville

$370 13.5% 79.6% $164

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Townsville

$482 17.6% 198% $321

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Townsville

$204 7.5% 118% $110

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Townsville

$320 11.7% 262% $231

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Townsville

$86 3.1% 96.7% $42

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Townsville

$101 3.7% 550% $86

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $1,315 in Townsville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Townsville pays 1089% 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 $68.0 in Townsville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $370 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇦🇺 Townsville

🕒 Local time

13:56 1:56 PM

15:56 3:56 PM

2 h ahead of Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

173,724

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, 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).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Townsville 4,140 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Townsville

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 Townsville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 199% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1089% lower in Townsville. 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 $1,315 in Townsville. 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 $2,740 in Townsville – a 199% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 509% less than in Townsville. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $918 in Cebu versus $2,740 in Townsville, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Townsville. 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 Townsville, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Townsville 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 199% less than in Townsville. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.