Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Coffs Harbour and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,422 in Coffs Harbour, rent and utilities included – about $18,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Coffs Harbour
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,422
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,422 in Coffs Harbour versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Coffs Harbour $2,422
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,551 in Coffs Harbour versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Coffs Harbour $3,551
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,680 in Coffs Harbour versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Coffs Harbour $4,680
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Coffs Harbour is roughly 164% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Coffs Harbour is 79% above, Cebu is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Coffs Harbour
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.90 A$20.00
$3.09 ₱194
349.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$105 A$151
$24.22 ₱1,525
331.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.16 A$13.18
$3.92 ₱247
133.67%
Cappuccino
$3.70 A$5.32
$2.51 ₱158
47.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 A$4.03
$1.59 ₱100
76.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 A$2.80
$0.53 ₱33.43
266.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.07 A$7.29
$1.78 ₱112
184.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 A$7.96
$2.17 ₱137
154.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Coffs Harbour
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 A$2.18
$1.92 ₱121
-20.83%
White Bread (500g)
$2.73 A$3.92
$1.36 ₱85.4
100.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 A$3.35
$1.01 ₱63.5
130.69%
Eggs
$3.40 A$4.89
$2.03 ₱128
67.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.04 A$13.00
$9.86 ₱621
-8.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.15 A$10.28
$4.39 ₱277
62.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.16 A$20.38
$7.60 ₱479
86.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.81 A$5.49
$3.30 ₱208
15.45%
Banana (1kg)
$3.03 A$4.37
$1.39 ₱87.8
117.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 A$5.00
$2.33 ₱147
48.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.25 A$6.12
$1.50 ₱94.3
183.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.35 A$1.95
$2.36 ₱149
-42.80%
Onion (1kg)
$2.50 A$3.59
$1.90 ₱119
31.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.41 A$3.47
$1.19 ₱74.9
102.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 A$3.35
$0.63 ₱39.71
269.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$31.57 A$45.43
$3.00 ₱189
952.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.01 A$20.16
$6.03 ₱379
132.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.90 A$8.49
$1.23 ₱77.7
379.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.76 A$9.72
$1.75 ₱110
286.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Coffs Harbour
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.84 A$6.97
$0.25 ₱15.86
1836.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$12.64 ₱796
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.10 A$3.03
$0.77 ₱48.62
172.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 A$2.24
$0.23 ₱14.53
573.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.59 A$51.2
$4.46 ₱281
697.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 A$1.86
$1.31 ₱82.8
-1.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.5K A$38.2K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
24.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K A$47.0K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
70.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coffs Harbour
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 A$253
$120 ₱7,569
45.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.55 A$15.18
$14.00 ₱882
-24.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.5 A$77.0
$27.54 ₱1,734
94.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Coffs Harbour
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$108 A$155
$32.33 ₱2,035
232.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65 ₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.84 A$19.92
$5.65 ₱356
144.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Coffs Harbour
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,176 A$3,131
$275 ₱17.3K
690.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K A$17.0K
$7,918 ₱498.5K
49.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Coffs Harbour
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.9 A$108
$49.33 ₱3,106
51.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.0 A$77.7
$25.24 ₱1,589
113.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 A$150
$77.0 ₱4,846
35.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 A$173
$57.2 ₱3,601
109.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Coffs Harbour
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,387 A$1,997
$500 ₱31.5K
177.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,259 A$1,812
$309 ₱19.4K
307.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,108 A$3,033
$1,078 ₱67.9K
95.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,939 A$2,790
$615 ₱38.7K
215.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,557 A$5,119
$2,886 ₱181.7K
23.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,546 A$5,102
$1,917 ₱120.7K
85.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Coffs Harbour
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,275 A$4,713
$346 ₱21.8K
846.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.69
7.2
-20.97%

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

Last update for Coffs Harbour: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Coffs Harbour
$1.3K
Cebu
$309 75.5% $951
Groceries & Markets
Coffs Harbour
$361
Cebu
$206 42.9% $155
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coffs Harbour
$240
Cebu
$162 32.5% $78
Eating Out
Coffs Harbour
$238
Cebu
$88 63% $150
Clothing & Footwear
Coffs Harbour
$159
Cebu
$94 40.9% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Coffs Harbour
$135
Cebu
$44 67.8% $92
Getting Around
Coffs Harbour
$29 *
Cebu
$16 46.8% $14

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 $1,387 in Coffs Harbour and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coffs Harbour pays 847% 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: $105 in Coffs Harbour vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Coffs Harbour
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
05:55 5:55 AM
02:55 2:55 AM
3 h behind Coffs Harbour
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
78,759
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

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
  • Coffs Harbour Cebu 5,490 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Coffs Harbour
  • 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
Coffs Harbour vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Coffs Harbour?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 164% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Coffs Harbour or Cebu?
Average pay runs 847% higher in Coffs Harbour, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Coffs Harbour and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,387 in Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Coffs Harbour. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Coffs Harbour and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,422 per month in Coffs Harbour versus $918 in Cebu – a 164% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Coffs Harbour or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,422 in Coffs Harbour, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Coffs Harbour. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Coffs Harbour or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Coffs Harbour, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Coffs Harbour or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Coffs Harbour 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 164% less than in Coffs Harbour. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Coffs Harbour vs other spots: cost of living compared

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