Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chios and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,429 in Chios, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chios
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,429
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chios and in Cebu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chios and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,429 in Chios versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Chios $1,429
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,099 in Chios versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Chios $2,099
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,770 in Chios versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Chios $2,770
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Chios is roughly 56% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chios is 6% above, Cebu is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chios
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.92 €12.38
$3.09 ₱194
350.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.95 €39.09
$24.22 ₱1,525
81.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.98 €12.44
$3.92 ₱247
256.63%
Cappuccino
$3.64 €3.24
$2.51 ₱158
45.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 €2.10
$1.59 ₱100
48.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 €0.81
$0.53 ₱33.43
71.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.51 €4.01
$1.78 ₱112
153.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 €3.89
$2.17 ₱137
101.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chios
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 €1.40
$1.92 ₱121
-18.23%
White Bread (500g)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.36 ₱85.4
0.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.58 €2.30
$1.01 ₱63.5
155.45%
Eggs
$4.54 €4.04
$2.03 ₱128
123.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.11 €11.66
$9.86 ₱621
32.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.76 €8.69
$4.39 ₱277
122.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.93 €12.39
$7.60 ₱479
83.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 €1.98
$3.30 ₱208
-32.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.04 €1.81
$1.39 ₱87.8
46.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.34 €1.20
$2.33 ₱147
-42.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 €1.77
$1.50 ₱94.3
32.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.36 ₱149
-52.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 €0.94
$1.90 ₱119
-44.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.19 ₱74.9
-11.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.76
$0.63 ₱39.71
34.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.00 €5.33
$3.00 ₱189
100.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.06 €6.28
$6.03 ₱379
17.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 €1.76
$1.23 ₱77.7
60.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 €2.37
$1.75 ₱110
52.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Chios
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.31 €1.16
$0.25 ₱15.86
424.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.37 €38.57
$12.64 ₱796
243.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.07 €3.62
$0.77 ₱48.62
428.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 €1.08
$0.23 ₱14.53
430.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.42 €14.61
$4.46 ₱281
268.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.07 €1.84
$1.31 ₱82.8
58.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.4K €28.0K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
47.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K €19.8K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
16.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chios
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$199 €177
$120 ₱7,569
65.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.12 €17.90
$14.00 ₱882
43.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.27 €24.26
$27.54 ₱1,734
-0.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chios
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.7 €46.01
$32.33 ₱2,035
60.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.23 €21.55
$6.65 ₱419
264.36%
Cinema Ticket
$9.92 €8.83
$5.65 ₱356
75.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chios
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 €384
$275 ₱17.3K
56.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,719 €5,977
$7,918 ₱498.5K
-15.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chios
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.4 €68.9
$49.33 ₱3,106
56.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.43 €37.75
$25.24 ₱1,589
68.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.9 €70.2
$77.0 ₱4,846
2.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €105
$57.2 ₱3,601
105.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chios
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$541 €482
$500 ₱31.5K
8.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$393 €349
$309 ₱19.4K
27.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$688 €612
$1,078 ₱67.9K
-36.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 €491
$615 ₱38.7K
-10.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,409 €2,143
$2,886 ₱181.7K
-16.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,499 €2,223
$1,917 ₱120.7K
30.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chios
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$346 ₱21.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.46
7.2
-38.06%

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

Last update for Chios: October 13, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chios
$393
Cebu
$309 21.4% $84
Groceries & Markets
Chios
$276
Cebu
$206 25.4% $70
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chios
$246
Cebu
$162 34.4% $85
Eating Out
Chios
$241
Cebu
$88 63.4% $153
Clothing & Footwear
Chios
$142
Cebu
$94 34% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Chios
$72
Cebu
$44 39.1% $28
Getting Around
Chios
$59
Cebu
$16 73.5% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $541 in Chios and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Chios vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Chios
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
22:48 10:48 PM
03:48 3:48 AM
5 h ahead of Chios
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
53,408
964,169
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chios Cebu 9,970 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chios
  • Cebu

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
Chios vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Chios?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,144 in Chios and $1,377 in Cebu 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.
What is the rent difference between Chios and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $541 in Chios versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Chios and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,429 per month in Chios versus $918 in Cebu – a 56% 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 243% less than in Chios. 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 Chios or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,429 in Chios, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Chios. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Chios or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chios, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Chios or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Chios and Cebu 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 56% less than in Chios. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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