For one person, living is cheaper in Cimahi: $559 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 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 Cimahi and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $559 in Cimahi versus $918 in Cebu.
Cimahi $559
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $930 in Cimahi versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Cimahi $930
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,300 in Cimahi versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Cimahi $1,300
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Cimahi costs roughly 39% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Cimahi59% lower, Cebu32% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cimahi
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.72Rp 30.9K
$3.09₱194
-44.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.10Rp 253.8K
$24.22₱1,525
-41.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.28Rp 59.0K
$3.92₱247
-16.33%
Cappuccino
$1.47Rp 26.4K
$2.51₱158
-41.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46Rp 8,347
$1.59₱100
-71.07%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24Rp 4,323
$0.53₱33.43
-54.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44Rp 44.0K
$1.78₱112
37.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08Rp 55.5K
$2.17₱137
41.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cimahi
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.12Rp 20.2K
$1.92₱121
-41.67%
White Bread(500g)
$0.98Rp 17.6K
$1.36₱85.4
-27.94%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.88Rp 15.9K
$1.01₱63.5
-12.87%
Eggs
$1.47Rp 26.5K
$2.03₱128
-27.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.33Rp 131.9K
$9.86₱621
-25.66%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.92Rp 52.6K
$4.39₱277
-33.49%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.74Rp 139.3K
$7.60₱479
1.84%
Apples(1kg)
$2.29Rp 41.1K
$3.30₱208
-30.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.11Rp 19.9K
$1.39₱87.8
-20.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.48Rp 26.7K
$2.33₱147
-36.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.88Rp 15.8K
$1.50₱94.3
-41.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.05Rp 18.9K
$2.36₱149
-55.51%
Onion(1kg)
$1.97Rp 35.5K
$1.90₱119
3.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.70Rp 12.6K
$1.19₱74.9
-41.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40Rp 7,184
$0.63₱39.71
-36.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.66Rp 47.8K
$3.00₱189
-11.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$20.89Rp 375.9K
$6.03₱379
246.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91Rp 34.4K
$1.23₱77.7
55.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00Rp 54.1K
$1.75₱110
71.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Cimahi
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27Rp 4,899
$0.25₱15.86
8.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$12.64₱796
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.54Rp 9,733
$0.77₱48.62
-29.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.32Rp 5,744
$0.23₱14.53
39.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.34Rp 42.1K
$4.46₱281
-47.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.88Rp 15.9K
$1.31₱82.8
-32.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0KRp 378.9M
$21.2K₱1.3M
-0.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.1KRp 523.1M
$19.1K₱1.2M
51.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cimahi
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$33.78Rp 608.0K
$120₱7,569
-71.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.40Rp 79.2K
$14.00₱882
-68.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.12Rp 344.2K
$27.54₱1,734
-30.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cimahi
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.33Rp 348.0K
$32.33₱2,035
-40.21%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.05Rp 162.8K
$6.65₱419
36.09%
Cinema Ticket
$2.84Rp 51.1K
$5.65₱356
-49.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cimahi
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$94.8Rp 1.7M
$275₱17.3K
-65.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,303Rp 149.5M
$7,918₱498.5K
4.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cimahi
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.60Rp 694.9K
$49.33₱3,106
-21.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.40Rp 511.2K
$25.24₱1,589
12.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$72.5Rp 1.3M
$77.0₱4,846
-5.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.2Rp 1.3M
$57.2₱3,601
24.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cimahi
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$214Rp 3.9M
$500₱31.5K
-57.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$126Rp 2.3M
$309₱19.4K
-59.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$512Rp 9.2M
$1,078₱67.9K
-52.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$357Rp 6.4M
$615₱38.7K
-41.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,102Rp 19.8M
$2,886₱181.7K
-61.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$819Rp 14.7M
$1,917₱120.7K
-57.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cimahi
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$254Rp 4.6M
$346₱21.8K
-26.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.46
7.2
31.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cimahi: October 13, 2026
Last update for Cebu: 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.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cimahi
$191 34.1%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↑ 8%$15
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cimahi
$126 22.5%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↑ 145%$183
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cimahi
$95 17%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 0.9%$0.9
🍽Eating Out
Cimahi
$62 11.2%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↑ 41.5%$26
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cimahi
$57 10.3%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↑ 182%$104
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cimahi
$25 4.5%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↑ 74.4%$19
🚌Getting Around
Cimahi
$3.2 * 0.6%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↑ 384%$12
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cimahi
$415 32%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↑ 16.2%$67
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cimahi
$357 27.5%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↑ 72.4%$258
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cimahi
$211 16.2%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 0.9%$2
🍽Eating Out
Cimahi
$189 14.6%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↑ 54.4%$103
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cimahi
$62 4.8%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↑ 185%$114
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cimahi
$59 4.5%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↑ 59%$35
🚌Getting Around
Cimahi
$7 * 0.5%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↑ 353%$25
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 $214 in Cimahi and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cebu pays 36% 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: $14.00 in Cimahi vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $206 per month, with Cimahi 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
Cimahi vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Cimahi?
Cimahi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cimahi or Cebu?
On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Cebu. 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 Cimahi and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $214 in Cimahi versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Cimahi and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Cimahi and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $559 per month in Cimahi versus $918 in Cebu – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $800 enough for either Cimahi or Cebu?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Cimahi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Cimahi or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cimahi 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.
Which city is safer, Cimahi or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Cimahi 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 Cimahi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.