Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuiaba and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuiaba and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,062 in Cuiaba versus $936 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,564 in Cuiaba versus $1,427 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,067 in Cuiaba versus $1,918 in Cebu.

Living in Cuiaba is roughly 13% more expensive than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cuiaba 23% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 R$25.27

$3.09 ₱193

60.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.84 R$172

$23.80 ₱1,488

42.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 R$38.37

$4.10 ₱257

83.66%

Cappuccino

$1.77 R$9.02

$2.60 ₱163

-31.92%

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

$1.23 R$6.27

$1.55 ₱96.9

-20.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.47

$0.54 ₱33.46

25.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 R$9.91

$1.73 ₱108

12.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 R$12.91

$2.19 ₱137

15.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.84

$1.92 ₱120

-40.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.24

$1.39 ₱87.1

16.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 R$9.00

$0.97 ₱60.8

82.47%

Eggs

$3.02 R$15.40

$2.00 ₱125

51.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.54 R$84.2

$9.93 ₱621

66.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 R$23.20

$4.38 ₱274

3.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 R$55.7

$7.41 ₱463

47.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 R$11.34

$3.46 ₱217

-35.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 R$11.86

$1.47 ₱91.7

58.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 R$12.71

$2.41 ₱151

3.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 R$14.74

$1.54 ₱96.5

87.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 R$12.72

$2.36 ₱148

5.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 R$10.75

$1.91 ₱119

10.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 R$7.86

$1.24 ₱77.3

24.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R$7.13

$0.66 ₱41.42

112.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 R$11.33

$3.00 ₱188

-25.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 R$57.2

$6.08 ₱380

84.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 R$9.80

$1.31 ₱81.8

46.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 R$15.64

$1.73 ₱108

77.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.71

$0.25 ₱15.65

268.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.32 R$195

$12.73 ₱796

201.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 ₱288

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R$6.14

$1.34 ₱83.7

-9.70%

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

$29.8K R$151.8K

$21.8K ₱1.4M

36.90%

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

$32.9K R$167.7K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

69.56%

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

$168 R$853

$121 ₱7,564

38.49%

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

$18.98 R$96.7

$14.86 ₱929

27.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.00 R$132

$27.84 ₱1,741

-6.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.69 R$126

$32.06 ₱2,005

-22.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 R$99.4

$6.43 ₱402

203.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 R$29.15

$5.64 ₱352

1.42%

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

$424 R$2,160

$273 ₱17.1K

55.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,143 R$46.6K

$8,017 ₱501.3K

14.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 R$372

$48.77 ₱3,050

49.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.79 R$243

$25.49 ₱1,594

87.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 R$739

$78.1 ₱4,884

85.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 R$350

$57.8 ₱3,616

18.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 R$1,632

$500 ₱31.3K

-35.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 R$1,112

$300 ₱18.7K

-27.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 R$3,221

$1,089 ₱68.1K

-41.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 R$1,800

$632 ₱39.5K

-44.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,316 R$6,704

$2,888 ₱180.6K

-54.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$774 R$3,943

$1,877 ₱117.3K

-58.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$392 R$1,994

$346 ₱21.7K

13.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.1

7.2

123.61%

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

Last update for Cuiaba: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $320 in Cuiaba and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cuiaba pays 13% 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: $34.00 in Cuiaba vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $208 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

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

Cuiaba vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Cuiaba, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $320 in Cuiaba versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,062 per month in Cuiaba versus $936 in Cebu – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 201% less than in Cuiaba. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $936 in Cebu versus $1,062 in Cuiaba, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Cuiaba. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Cuiaba 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.

Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Cuiaba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.