Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Ystad

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,646 in Ystad, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 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
79

Cost of Living Index in Ystad
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Ystad Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Ystad

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,646

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Ystad

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,646 in Ystad.

Cebu $934
Ystad $1,646

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,423 in Cebu versus $2,592 in Ystad.

Cebu $1,423
Ystad $2,592

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,913 in Cebu versus $3,538 in Ystad.

Cebu $1,913
Ystad $3,538

Living in Cebu costs roughly 43% less than in Ystad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 31% below, Ystad is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 ₱243

$12.15 SEK 121

-68.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.33 ₱1,493

$86.1 SEK 857

-72.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.94 ₱252

$10.23 SEK 102

-61.49%

Cappuccino

$2.54 ₱163

$3.06 SEK 30.48

-16.99%

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

$1.57 ₱100

$2.98 SEK 29.66

-47.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₱29.87

$2.27 SEK 22.57

-79.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 ₱113

$6.99 SEK 69.6

-74.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₱142

$7.39 SEK 73.5

-69.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.71 SEK 16.98

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱87.3

$2.80 SEK 27.86

-51.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱59.9

$3.15 SEK 31.31

-70.16%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱127

$3.10 SEK 30.82

-35.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 ₱621

$11.51 SEK 115

-15.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 ₱276

$8.84 SEK 88.0

-51.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 ₱481

$16.46 SEK 164

-54.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱212

$2.99 SEK 29.76

10.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 ₱87.6

$2.44 SEK 24.32

-43.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱150

$2.93 SEK 29.20

-20.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱95.5

$4.52 SEK 44.94

-67.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱147

$1.54 SEK 15.36

49.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₱120

$1.70 SEK 16.87

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱70.4

$1.96 SEK 19.46

-43.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱40.42

$1.66 SEK 16.50

-62.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ₱183

$8.19 SEK 81.5

-65.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ₱389

$12.05 SEK 120

-49.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱81.6

$2.05 SEK 20.39

-38.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱110

$2.28 SEK 22.73

-24.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱14.01

$3.36 SEK 33.42

-93.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 ₱790

$79.1 SEK 787

-84.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱47.60

$6.05 SEK 60.2

-87.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱14.10

$1.74 SEK 17.31

-87.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 ₱274

$59.2 SEK 589

-92.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱83.8

$1.77 SEK 17.61

-25.99%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$29.9K SEK 297.7K

-30.58%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$33.3K SEK 331.4K

-42.80%

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

$118 ₱7,577

$105 SEK 1,044

12.89%

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

$15.76 ₱1,009

$19.69 SEK 196

-19.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.33 ₱1,813

$30.14 SEK 300

-6.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.94 ₱2,108

$37.44 SEK 373

-12.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.49 ₱415

$26.36 SEK 262

-75.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 ₱349

$12.15 SEK 121

-55.14%

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

$276 ₱17.6K

$180 SEK 1,789

53.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,789 ₱498.4K

$4,351 SEK 43.3K

79.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 ₱3,083

$51.3 SEK 510

-6.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.47 ₱1,566

$33.38 SEK 332

-26.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 ₱4,817

$87.4 SEK 870

-13.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 ₱3,713

$133 SEK 1,328

-56.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 ₱30.5K

$792 SEK 7,883

-39.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₱20.6K

$612 SEK 6,096

-47.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 ₱61.6K

$1,354 SEK 13.5K

-28.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 ₱40.0K

$1,023 SEK 10.2K

-38.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,551 ₱291.2K

$4,023 SEK 40.0K

13.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,028 ₱193.8K

$2,767 SEK 27.5K

9.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$333 ₱21.3K

$1,881 SEK 18.7K

-82.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

3.06

135.29%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ystad: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$322 34.5%

Ystad

$612 37.2% 90.3% $291

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$204 21.8%

Ystad

$337 20.5% 65.3% $133

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.4%

Ystad

$155 9.4% 4.8% $7.8

Eating Out

Cebu

$94 10.1%

Ystad

$235 14.3% 150% $141

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$93 9.9%

Ystad

$137 8.4% 48.3% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Ystad

$62 3.8% 40.8% $18

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.6%

Ystad

$107 6.5% 612% $92

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Cebu and $792 in Ystad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ystad pays about 5.6 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $23 in Cebu vs $86 in Ystad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $337 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇸🇪 Ystad

🕒 Local time

20:55 8:55 PM

13:55 1:55 PM

7 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

18,350

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.56 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

100 SEK = 10.05 USD

100 SEK = 9.03 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.56 USD). 1 EUR = 71.22 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.95 SEK (1 SEK = 0.1 USD). 1 EUR = 11.08 SEK (100 SEK = 9.03 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Ystad 10,290 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Ystad

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 Ystad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and transport. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 82% lower in Cebu. 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: $477 in Cebu versus $792 in Ystad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $1,646 in Ystad – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 84% less than in Ystad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Ystad 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 43% less than in Ystad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.