Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Tromso

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $3,073 in Tromso, rent and utilities included – about $25,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
149

Cost of Living Index in Tromso
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Tromso Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Tromso

🇳🇴 Norway

$3,073

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Tromso

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $3,073 in Tromso.

Cebu $918
Tromso $3,073

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $4,616 in Tromso.

Cebu $1,409
Tromso $4,616

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $6,158 in Tromso.

Cebu $1,900
Tromso $6,158

Living in Cebu costs roughly 70% less than in Tromso, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Tromso is 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$34.24 NOK 322

-90.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$103 NOK 974

-76.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$15.60 NOK 147

-74.87%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$6.77 NOK 63.7

-62.92%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$4.78 NOK 45.00

-66.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$3.69 NOK 34.75

-85.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$12.57 NOK 118

-85.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

$13.64 NOK 128

-84.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$2.49 NOK 23.48

-22.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$3.26 NOK 30.72

-58.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$3.92 NOK 36.91

-74.23%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$5.18 NOK 48.80

-60.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$11.61 NOK 109

-15.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$14.85 NOK 140

-70.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$40.81 NOK 384

-81.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$3.96 NOK 37.24

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$2.92 NOK 27.46

-52.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$5.35 NOK 50.3

-56.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$6.07 NOK 57.2

-75.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$3.53 NOK 33.27

-33.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$4.89 NOK 46.02

-61.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$2.98 NOK 28.07

-60.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$2.09 NOK 19.67

-69.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$16.36 NOK 154

-81.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

$17.30 NOK 163

-65.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$3.94 NOK 37.07

-68.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$4.66 NOK 43.91

-62.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

$5.03 NOK 47.39

-95.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$67.0 NOK 631

-81.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$15.40 NOK 145

-95.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$2.04 NOK 19.21

-88.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$56.6 NOK 533

-92.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$2.33 NOK 21.93

-43.78%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$48.3K NOK 454.8K

-56.03%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$43.5K NOK 409.1K

-55.95%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$253 NOK 2,383

-52.50%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$49.95 NOK 470

-71.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$82.3 NOK 775

-66.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$50.5 NOK 475

-35.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$46.87 NOK 441

-85.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$17.44 NOK 164

-67.60%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$313 NOK 2,949

-12.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$7,407 NOK 69.7K

6.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$65.6 NOK 617

-24.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$35.36 NOK 333

-28.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$145 NOK 1,361

-46.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$163 NOK 1,538

-64.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$1,566 NOK 14.7K

-68.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$1,244 NOK 11.7K

-75.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$2,786 NOK 26.2K

-61.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$2,027 NOK 19.1K

-69.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$6,960 NOK 65.5K

-58.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$5,271 NOK 49.6K

-63.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$4,125 NOK 38.8K

-91.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

5.01

43.71%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Tromso: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Tromso

$1.2K 40.5% 303% $936

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Tromso

$536 17.4% 160% $330

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Tromso

$385 12.5% 138% $224

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Tromso

$184 6% 95.8% $90

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Tromso

$526 17.1% 496% $438

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Tromso

$85 2.8% 95.7% $42

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Tromso

$113 3.7% 624% $97

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $1,566 in Tromso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tromso pays 1092% 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 $103 in Tromso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $536 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇳🇴 Tromso

🕒 Local time

01:37 1:37 AM

19:37 7:37 PM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

78,908

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Norwegian Krone NOK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 NOK = 10.62 USD

100 NOK = 9.45 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, 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).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Tromso 9,500 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Tromso

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 Tromso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 235% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1092% lower in Tromso. 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 $1,566 in Tromso. 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 $3,073 in Tromso – a 235% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 430% less than in Tromso. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $918 in Cebu versus $3,073 in Tromso, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Tromso. 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 Tromso, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Tromso 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 235% less than in Tromso. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.