For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,369 in Zilina, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 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 Zilina actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $1,369 in Zilina.
Cebu $918
Zilina $1,369
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $2,044 in Zilina.
Cebu $1,409
Zilina $2,044
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $2,719 in Zilina.
Cebu $1,900
Zilina $2,719
🌍
Living in Cebu costs roughly 33% less than in Zilina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 32% below, Zilina is 1% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Zilina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09₱194
$9.98€8.88
-69.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22₱1,525
$56.8€50.6
-57.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92₱247
$8.00€7.12
-51.00%
Cappuccino
$2.51₱158
$2.42€2.15
3.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₱100
$1.75€1.55
-9.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₱33.43
$1.39€1.24
-61.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₱112
$2.25€2.00
-20.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17₱137
$2.26€2.01
-3.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Zilina
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92₱121
$1.08€0.96
77.78%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36₱85.4
$1.38€1.23
-1.45%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.5
$1.90€1.69
-46.84%
Eggs
$2.03₱128
$3.70€3.29
-45.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.86₱621
$12.52€11.13
-21.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.39₱277
$7.02€6.24
-37.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.60₱479
$12.31€10.95
-38.26%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30₱208
$1.74€1.55
89.66%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39₱87.8
$2.13€1.90
-34.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33₱147
$2.37€2.11
-1.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50₱94.3
$4.52€4.02
-66.81%
Potato(1kg)
$2.36₱149
$1.37€1.22
72.26%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90₱119
$1.50€1.34
26.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19₱74.9
$1.58€1.41
-24.68%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63₱39.71
$0.84€0.75
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₱189
$6.23€5.54
-51.85%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.03₱379
$5.59€4.97
7.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23₱77.7
$1.01€0.90
21.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75₱110
$1.38€1.23
26.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Zilina
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25₱15.86
$1.09€0.97
-77.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.64₱796
$22.67€20.16
-44.24%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱48.62
$1.66€1.48
-53.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.53
$1.09€0.97
-78.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.46₱281
$22.19€19.74
-79.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31₱82.8
$1.77€1.57
-25.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K₱1.3M
$25.7K€22.8K
-17.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K₱1.2M
$23.9K€21.3K
-19.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Zilina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120₱7,569
$228€203
-47.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00₱882
$19.72€17.54
-29.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54₱1,734
$19.80€17.61
39.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Zilina
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.33₱2,035
$35.66€31.72
-9.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65₱419
$11.35€10.09
-41.41%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65₱356
$9.45€8.41
-40.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Zilina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$275₱17.3K
$406€361
-32.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,918₱498.5K
$6,725€5,982
17.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Zilina
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33₱3,106
$65.0€57.8
-24.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24₱1,589
$27.85€24.77
-9.37%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.0₱4,846
$80.2€71.4
-4.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2₱3,601
$93.5€83.2
-38.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Zilina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$500₱31.5K
$575€511
-13.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₱19.4K
$479€426
-35.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,078₱67.9K
$904€804
19.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615₱38.7K
$768€683
-19.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,886₱181.7K
$3,281€2,918
-12.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917₱120.7K
$2,887€2,568
-33.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Zilina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$346₱21.8K
$1,367€1,216
-74.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.2
3.79
89.97%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026
Last update for Zilina: 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%
Zilina
$479 35% ↑ 55%$170
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206 22.4%
Zilina
$253 18.5% ↑ 22.7%$47
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162 17.6%
Zilina
$268 19.6% ↑ 65.5%$106
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Zilina
$120 8.8% ↑ 27.7%$26
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$88 9.6%
Zilina
$161 11.8% ↑ 82.6%$73
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44 4.8%
Zilina
$55 4% ↑ 25.1%$11
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$16 1.7%
Zilina
$34 2.5% ↑ 119%$19
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$615 32.4%
Zilina
$768 28.2% ↑ 24.8%$153
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$483 25.4%
Zilina
$598 22% ↑ 23.8%$115
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$176 9.3%
Zilina
$288 10.6% ↑ 63.6%$112
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$209 11%
Zilina
$267 9.8% ↑ 27.7%$58
🍽Eating Out
Cebu
$292 15.4%
Zilina
$608 22.4% ↑ 108%$316
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$94 4.9%
Zilina
$120 4.4% ↑ 28.3%$27
🚌Getting Around
Cebu
$32 1.7%
Zilina
$70 2.6% ↑ 123%$39
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $575 in Zilina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Zilina pays 295% 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 $57.0 in Zilina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $253 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 Zilina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zilina cheaper than Cebu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cebu or Zilina?
On paper, salaries run 295% lower in Zilina. 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 Zilina?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $575 in Zilina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cebu and in Zilina?
All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Cebu versus $1,369 in Zilina – a 49% 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 79% less than in Zilina. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cebu or in Zilina?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,369 in Zilina, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Zilina. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cebu or Zilina more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Zilina, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Zilina?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Zilina 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 49% less than in Zilina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.