Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Zalaegerszeg Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Zalaegerszeg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $867 in Cebu versus $993 in Zalaegerszeg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,349 in Cebu versus $1,463 in Zalaegerszeg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,832 in Cebu versus $1,934 in Zalaegerszeg.

Living in Cebu costs roughly 13% less than in Zalaegerszeg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 36% lower, Zalaegerszeg 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ₱267

$11.42 Ft 3,455

-61.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.84 ₱1,448

$57.8 Ft 17.5K

-58.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.50 ₱273

$8.50 Ft 2,571

-47.06%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱161

$2.22 Ft 673

19.37%

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

$0.80 ₱48.45

$1.68 Ft 509

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.44

$1.23 Ft 373

-65.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ₱91.8

$1.82 Ft 551

-17.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱131

$1.91 Ft 577

12.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₱135

$1.03 Ft 313

115.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ₱92.9

$1.43 Ft 432

6.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱68.3

$2.15 Ft 650

-47.91%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱140

$3.13 Ft 946

-26.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ₱793

$9.71 Ft 2,936

34.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱327

$4.61 Ft 1,396

16.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 ₱471

$7.02 Ft 2,122

10.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 ₱220

$1.48 Ft 446

145.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₱91.1

$1.90 Ft 575

-21.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 ₱207

$1.83 Ft 553

86.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱132

$3.58 Ft 1,085

-39.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 ₱154

$1.13 Ft 341

123.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 ₱148

$1.26 Ft 382

93.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱60.8

$1.17 Ft 355

-14.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.14

$0.54 Ft 163

46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₱198

$6.57 Ft 1,987

-50.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 ₱383

$5.70 Ft 1,724

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱69.7

$0.90 Ft 273

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₱140

$1.46 Ft 443

57.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.03

$1.03 Ft 312

-72.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.06 ₱914

$17.18 Ft 5,199

-12.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱50.5

$3.18 Ft 963

-73.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱13.85

$1.06 Ft 319

-78.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 ₱165

$18.69 Ft 5,654

-85.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱66.3

$1.73 Ft 525

-36.99%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$25.9K Ft 7.8M

17.86%

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

$27.1K ₱1.6M

$31.6K Ft 9.6M

-14.16%

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

$97.2 ₱5,900

$136 Ft 41.1K

-28.47%

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

$34.37 ₱2,087

$26.54 Ft 8,031

29.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.15 ₱1,831

$20.47 Ft 6,193

47.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.14 ₱2,012

$37.66 Ft 11.4K

-12.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.25 ₱501

$33.97 Ft 10.3K

-75.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱355

$7.06 Ft 2,137

-17.28%

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

$228 ₱13.8K

$201 Ft 60.8K

13.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,923 ₱238.2K

$6,382 Ft 1.9M

-38.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ₱3,140

$28.45 Ft 8,608

81.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.99 ₱1,396

$22.94 Ft 6,940

0.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 ₱4,567

$46.75 Ft 14.1K

60.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 ₱3,422

$52.2 Ft 15.8K

7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ₱31.0K

$318 Ft 96.3K

60.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.7K

$278 Ft 84.2K

-24.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$787 ₱47.8K

$437 Ft 132.1K

80.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱23.7K

$293 Ft 88.6K

33.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,948 ₱179.0K

$1,944 Ft 588.2K

51.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,906 ₱115.7K

$1,652 Ft 499.7K

15.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 ₱23.0K

$826 Ft 249.9K

-54.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.29%

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

Last update for Cebu: June 6, 2026

Last update for Zalaegerszeg: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Cebu and $318 in Zalaegerszeg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zalaegerszeg pays 118% 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 $58.0 in Zalaegerszeg. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $199, with Zalaegerszeg cheaper for home cooking.

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 Zalaegerszeg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Zalaegerszeg earns 118% less. 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: $511 in Cebu versus $318 in Zalaegerszeg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $867 per month in Cebu versus $993 in Zalaegerszeg – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 14% less than in Zalaegerszeg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $867 in Cebu versus $993 in Zalaegerszeg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Zalaegerszeg. 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 Zalaegerszeg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Zalaegerszeg 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 15% less than in Zalaegerszeg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.