Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Urmia

For one person, living is cheaper in Urmia: $413 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Urmia
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Urmia Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Urmia

🇮🇷 Iran

$413

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Urmia

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $413 in Urmia.

Cebu $918
Urmia $413

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $713 in Urmia.

Cebu $1,409
Urmia $713

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $1,013 in Urmia.

Cebu $1,900
Urmia $1,013

Living in Cebu is roughly 122% more expensive than in Urmia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Urmia 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 ₱194

$5.02 $5.02

-38.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.22 ₱1,525

$24.35 $24.35

-0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

$3.07 $3.07

27.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 $1.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$1.08 $1.08

132.41%

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

$1.59 ₱100

$0.74 $0.74

114.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

$0.45 $0.45

17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱121

$0.61 $0.61

214.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱85.4

$0.47 $0.47

189.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.5

$2.44 $2.44

-58.61%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.23 $1.23

65.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

$4.34 $4.34

127.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱277

$2.43 $2.43

80.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₱479

$6.46 $6.46

17.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$0.93 $0.93

254.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱87.8

$1.48 $1.48

-6.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$0.73 $0.73

219.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ₱94.3

$0.68 $0.68

120.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$0.52 $0.52

353.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱119

$0.55 $0.55

245.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.53 $0.53

124.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.71

$0.24 $0.24

162.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.82 $0.82

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 $0.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

$1.12 $1.12

167.86%

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

$0.14 $0.14

78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

$9.62 $9.62

31.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

$0.42 $0.42

83.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.31 $0.31

-25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

$2.62 $2.62

70.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

$0.09 $0.09

1355.56%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$49.4K $49.4K

-57.02%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$44.3K $44.3K

-56.80%

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

$120 ₱7,569

$12.93 $12.93

829.85%

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

$14.00 ₱882

$1.53 $1.53

815.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

$3.74 $3.74

636.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

$9.61 $9.61

236.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

$13.07 $13.07

-49.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

$1.95 $1.95

189.74%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

$109 $109

152.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

$2,701 $2,701

193.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

$22.64 $22.64

117.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

$27.85 $27.85

-9.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

$83.9 $83.9

-8.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

$33.03 $33.03

73.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

$172 $172

190.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$129 $129

139.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

$324 $324

232.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

$264 $264

133.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

$694 $694

316.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

$583 $583

228.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

$275 $275

25.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

24.3

-70.37%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Urmia: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Urmia

$129 31.2% 58.3% $180

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Urmia

$98 23.6% 52.6% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Urmia

$18 4.4% 88.7% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Urmia

$75 18.2% 19.8% $19

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Urmia

$67 16.3% 23.9% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Urmia

$14 3.3% 69% $30

Getting Around

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Urmia

$12 2.9% 22% $3.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $172 in Urmia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 26% 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 $24.00 in Urmia. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $98.0, with Urmia cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇮🇷 Urmia

🕒 Local time

01:58 1:58 AM

21:28 9:28 PM

4 h 30 min behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

736,224

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Urmia 8,330 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Urmia

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 Urmia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Urmia is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $172 in Urmia. 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 $413 in Urmia – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Urmia runs roughly 31% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Urmia gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Urmia 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 Urmia 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 Urmia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.