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: $816 in Cuiaba versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,252 in Cuiaba versus $1,326 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,689 in Cuiaba versus $1,778 in Cebu.

Living in Cuiaba costs roughly 7% less than in Cebu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cuiaba 39% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.54 R$17.73

$4.33 ₱267

-18.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.96 R$89.9

$24.14 ₱1,489

-25.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 R$30.44

$4.36 ₱269

39.45%

Cappuccino

$1.62 R$8.09

$2.57 ₱159

-36.96%

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

$0.96 R$4.82

$0.84 ₱52.1

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.07

$0.43 ₱26.36

41.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 R$6.23

$1.53 ₱94.5

-18.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 R$10.94

$2.11 ₱130

3.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.32

$2.21 ₱137

-52.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 R$7.57

$1.50 ₱92.6

0.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.34

$1.11 ₱68.7

50.45%

Eggs

$3.20 R$16.02

$2.33 ₱144

37.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 R$56.3

$13.03 ₱803

-13.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 R$22.25

$5.35 ₱330

-16.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 R$50.7

$7.50 ₱462

35.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 R$10.79

$3.57 ₱220

-39.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R$8.49

$1.45 ₱89.4

17.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 R$8.89

$3.39 ₱209

-47.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 R$11.31

$2.18 ₱134

3.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 R$10.47

$2.59 ₱160

-19.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 R$7.97

$2.48 ₱153

-35.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.42

$0.92 ₱56.6

-26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.37

$0.79 ₱48.95

60.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 R$10.39

$3.11 ₱192

-33.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 R$50.9

$6.52 ₱402

55.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 R$8.82

$1.21 ₱74.4

45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 R$11.20

$2.32 ₱143

-3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.41

$0.28 ₱17.41

214.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.75 R$194

$15.00 ₱925

158.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.27

$0.84 ₱51.6

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.73

$0.25 ₱15.45

196.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 R$31.15

$2.69 ₱166

131.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.00

$1.09 ₱67.1

-8.26%

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

$21.0K R$105.3K

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-30.10%

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

$27.7K R$138.7K

$27.0K ₱1.7M

2.67%

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

$61.3 R$307

$95.4 ₱5,880

-35.73%

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

$18.30 R$91.6

$33.83 ₱2,086

-45.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.56 R$118

$29.78 ₱1,836

-20.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.56 R$113

$32.91 ₱2,029

-31.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 R$99.7

$8.43 ₱520

136.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 R$21.85

$5.84 ₱360

-25.17%

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

$248 R$1,242

$233 ₱14.3K

6.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,108 R$25.6K

$3,894 ₱240.1K

31.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 R$253

$53.5 ₱3,297

-5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 R$230

$22.75 ₱1,403

101.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 R$688

$76.7 ₱4,729

79.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 R$314

$54.5 ₱3,359

15.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 R$1,429

$515 ₱31.8K

-44.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 R$962

$209 ₱12.9K

-7.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,823

$805 ₱49.6K

-29.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 R$1,581

$397 ₱24.5K

-20.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,279 R$6,398

$2,955 ₱182.2K

-56.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 R$4,003

$1,923 ₱118.6K

-58.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 R$2,131

$364 ₱22.5K

16.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

131.25%

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

Last update for Cuiaba: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Cuiaba and $515 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cuiaba pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Cuiaba vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $240 per month, with Cuiaba 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

Cuiaba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cuiaba pays 17% more on average, 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: $285 in Cuiaba versus $515 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $816 per month in Cuiaba versus $873 in Cebu – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cuiaba runs roughly 158% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $816 in Cuiaba versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cuiaba but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Cuiaba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cuiaba 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, 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 Cuiaba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.