Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Zimba

For one person, living is cheaper in Zimba: $133 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Zimba

🇿🇲 Zambia

$133

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Zimba

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $133 in Zimba.

Cebu $934
Zimba $133

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $207 in Zimba.

Cebu $1,415
Zimba $207

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $280 in Zimba.

Cebu $1,896
Zimba $280

Living in Cebu is roughly 600% more expensive than in Zimba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Zimba 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$3.08 ZMW 61.0

32.79%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$1.48 ZMW 29.44

70.27%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$0.73 ZMW 14.50

110.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$0.36 ZMW 7.14

36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$0.75 ZMW 14.81

138.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$1.04 ZMW 20.57

117.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$1.02 ZMW 20.26

40.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$1.54 ZMW 30.50

-33.77%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$1.29 ZMW 25.64

59.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$3.57 ZMW 70.7

115.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$1.80 ZMW 35.74

83.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$1.56 ZMW 30.93

-7.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$3.10 ZMW 61.6

-23.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$0.79 ZMW 15.59

94.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$0.79 ZMW 15.70

151.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$0.82 ZMW 16.29

40.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$0.49 ZMW 9.69

36.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$6.21 ZMW 123

2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$0.79 ZMW 15.76

65.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.04 ZMW 20.57

66.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

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

$121 ₱7,563

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

$14.45 ₱907

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

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

$273 ₱17.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Zimba: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Zimba

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Zimba

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Zimba

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Zimba

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Zimba

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Zimba

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Zimba

–

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇿🇲 Zimba

🕒 Local time

16:24 4:24 PM

10:24 10:24 AM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.04 USD

100 ZMW = 4.5 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 19.83 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.04 USD). 1 EUR = 22.24 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.5 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Zimba 11,150 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Zimba

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 Zimba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zimba is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 600% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,401 in Cebu and $200 in Zimba to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 119% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $133 in Zimba – a 600% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Zimba gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Zimba is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Zimba 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 Zimba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 600% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.