For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,943 in Zejtun, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 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 Zejtun actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,943 in Zejtun.
Cebu $918
Zejtun $1,943
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $2,975 in Zejtun.
Cebu $1,409
Zejtun $2,975
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $4,007 in Zejtun.
Cebu $1,900
Zejtun $4,007
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 53% less than in Zejtun, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Zejtun is 44% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Zejtun
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱194
$22.67€20.17
-86.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,525
$88.8€79.0
-72.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$13.25€11.79
-70.42%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$2.20€1.95
14.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$2.31€2.06
-31.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.43
$0.86€0.76
-38.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$5.43€4.83
-67.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$6.55€5.83
-66.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Zejtun
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$1.32€1.17
45.45%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.4
$1.39€1.24
-2.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.5
$3.53€3.14
-71.39%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$4.32€3.85
-53.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$10.46€9.31
-5.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$12.05€10.72
-63.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$17.86€15.88
-57.45%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$3.75€3.33
-12.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.8
$2.78€2.47
-50.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$3.86€3.43
-39.64%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.3
$3.70€3.29
-59.46%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$1.87€1.66
26.20%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$3.43€3.05
-44.61%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$2.25€2.00
-47.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.71
$1.56€1.39
-59.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$6.26€5.57
-52.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱379
$5.99€5.32
0.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.7
$2.39€2.13
-48.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$2.26€2.01
-22.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Zejtun
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.86
$2.42€2.15
-89.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.62
$3.85€3.42
-80.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.53
$1.76€1.57
-86.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$33.12€29.46
-86.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$1.49€1.32
-12.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$27.6K€24.5K
-23.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$39.1K€34.7K
-50.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Zejtun
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,569
$55.9€49.70
115.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱882
$22.65€20.14
-38.19%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,734
$29.53€26.27
-6.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Zejtun
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,035
$61.2€54.5
-47.21%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$9.93€8.83
-43.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Zejtun
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$275€245
0.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.5K
$12.3K€10.9K
-35.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Zejtun
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,106
$56.2€50.0
-12.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,589
$27.62€24.57
-8.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,846
$113€100
-31.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,601
$130€115
-55.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Zejtun
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$1,144€1,018
-56.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$942€838
-67.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$1,563€1,390
-31.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.7K
$1,473€1,310
-58.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.7K
$4,497€4,000
-35.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.7K
$2,627€2,337
-27.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Zejtun
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$1,212€1,078
-71.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
4.05
77.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Zejtun: 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%
Zejtun
$942 48.5% ↑ 205%$633
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Zejtun
$342 17.6% ↑ 66%$136
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Zejtun
$108 5.6% ↓ 33.2%$54
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Zejtun
$147 7.6% ↑ 56.2%$53
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Zejtun
$300 15.5% ↑ 240%$212
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Zejtun
$81 4.2% ↑ 85.9%$37
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Zejtun
$22 * 1.2% ↑ 43.5%$6.8
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Zejtun
$1.5K 36.8% ↑ 139%$857
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Zejtun
$806 20.1% ↑ 66.8%$323
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Zejtun
$131 3.3% ↓ 25.7%$45
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Zejtun
$326 8.1% ↑ 56.2%$117
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Zejtun
$1.1K 26.5% ↑ 263%$768
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Zejtun
$162 * 4.1% ↑ 72.7%$68
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Zejtun
$50 * 1.2% ↑ 56.5%$18
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $1,144 in Zejtun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Zejtun pays 250% 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 $89.0 in Zejtun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $342 per month, with Cebu 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 Zejtun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zejtun cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Zejtun?
On paper, salaries run 250% lower in Zejtun. 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 Zejtun?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $1,144 in Zejtun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Cebu and in Zejtun?
Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Zejtun. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Zejtun?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $1,943 in Zejtun – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Zejtun?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,943 in Zejtun, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Zejtun. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Zejtun more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Zejtun, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Zejtun?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Zejtun 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 112% less than in Zejtun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.