For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,230 in Zatec, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Zatec actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,230 in Zatec.
Cebu $918
Zatec $1,230
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $1,888 in Zatec.
Cebu $1,409
Zatec $1,888
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $2,546 in Zatec.
Cebu $1,900
Zatec $2,546
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 25% less than in Zatec, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu32% lower, Zatec9% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Zatec
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱194
$6.94Kč 150
-55.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,525
$18.15Kč 392
33.44%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$9.23Kč 200
-57.53%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$3.02Kč 65.2
-16.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$0.70Kč 15.15
127.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.43
$0.90Kč 19.44
-41.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$2.23Kč 48.15
-20.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$2.73Kč 59.0
-20.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Zatec
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$0.81Kč 17.51
137.04%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.4
$1.34Kč 29.02
1.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.5
$2.28Kč 49.23
-55.70%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$2.49Kč 53.9
-18.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$5.64Kč 122
74.82%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$5.39Kč 116
-18.55%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$6.67Kč 144
13.94%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$1.28Kč 27.65
157.81%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.8
$1.63Kč 35.27
-14.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$2.13Kč 45.98
9.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.3
$3.26Kč 70.5
-53.99%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$0.95Kč 20.64
148.42%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$1.10Kč 23.72
72.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$1.61Kč 34.71
-26.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.71
$0.55Kč 11.91
14.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$6.06Kč 131
-50.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱379
$5.59Kč 121
7.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.7
$0.89Kč 19.33
38.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$1.70Kč 36.68
2.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Zatec
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.86
$0.34Kč 7.26
-26.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
$24.90Kč 539
-49.24%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.62
$2.69Kč 58.1
-71.38%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.53
$1.87Kč 40.52
-87.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$16.32Kč 353
-72.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$1.86Kč 40.20
-29.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$31.4KKč 678.9K
-32.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$29.9KKč 647.6K
-36.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Zatec
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,569
$297Kč 6,424
-59.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱882
$22.14Kč 479
-36.77%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,734
$18.89Kč 409
45.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Zatec
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,035
$49.34Kč 1,067
-34.48%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
$18.33Kč 396
-63.72%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$12.79Kč 277
-55.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Zatec
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$726Kč 15.7K
-62.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.5K
$11.5KKč 249.0K
-31.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Zatec
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,106
$85.3Kč 1,845
-42.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,589
$36.89Kč 798
-31.58%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,846
$46.22Kč 1,000
66.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,601
$122Kč 2,628
-52.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Zatec
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$351Kč 7,589
42.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$323Kč 6,991
-4.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$1,272Kč 27.5K
-15.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.7K
$855Kč 18.5K
-28.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.7K
$4,790Kč 103.6K
-39.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.7K
$3,585Kč 77.5K
-46.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Zatec
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$1,163Kč 25.2K
-70.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
4.67
54.18%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Zatec: October 12, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309 33.6%
Zatec
$323 26.3% ↑ 4.7%$14
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Zatec
$183 14.8% ↓ 11.3%$23
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Zatec
$338 27.5% ↑ 109%$176
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Zatec
$130 10.6% ↑ 38.9%$37
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Zatec
$142 11.6% ↑ 61.3%$54
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Zatec
$75 6.1% ↑ 71.7%$31
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Zatec
$38 3.1% ↑ 146%$23
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Zatec
$855 33.6% ↑ 39%$240
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Zatec
$423 16.6% ↓ 12.4%$60
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Zatec
$360 14.2% ↑ 105%$184
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Zatec
$290 11.4% ↑ 38.9%$81
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Zatec
$373 14.6% ↑ 27.6%$80
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Zatec
$168 6.6% ↑ 79.1%$74
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Zatec
$77 3% ↑ 144%$46
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $351 in Zatec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Zatec pays 236% 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 $18.00 in Zatec for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $183 per month, with Zatec cheaper across the board.
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 Zatec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zatec cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, eating out, and leisure. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Zatec?
On paper, salaries run 236% lower in Zatec. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Cebu and Zatec?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $351 in Zatec. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Zatec?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $1,230 in Zatec – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 97% less than in Zatec. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cebu or Zatec?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cebu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Cebu or Zatec more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Zatec, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Zatec?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Zatec are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Zatec. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.