For one person, living is cheaper in Dahab: $453 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 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 Dahab and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $453 in Dahab versus $918 in Cebu.
Dahab $453
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $755 in Dahab versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Dahab $755
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,057 in Dahab versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Dahab $1,057
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Dahab costs roughly 51% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Dahab66% lower, Cebu32% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Dahab
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.70E£198
$3.09₱194
19.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.14E£702
$24.22₱1,525
-45.75%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.64E£248
$3.92₱247
18.37%
Cappuccino
$1.58E£84.3
$2.51₱158
-37.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46E£24.50
$1.59₱100
-71.07%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27E£14.50
$0.53₱33.43
-49.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.95E£104
$1.78₱112
9.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34E£125
$2.17₱137
7.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dahab
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.97E£52.0
$1.92₱121
-49.48%
White Bread(500g)
$1.12E£60.0
$1.36₱85.4
-17.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.73E£38.75
$1.01₱63.5
-27.72%
Eggs
$1.35E£72.0
$2.03₱128
-33.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.63E£568
$9.86₱621
7.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.88E£207
$4.39₱277
-11.62%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.65E£569
$7.60₱479
40.13%
Apples(1kg)
$2.33E£124
$3.30₱208
-29.39%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45E£77.4
$1.39₱87.8
4.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.63E£33.55
$2.33₱147
-72.96%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.59E£31.39
$1.50₱94.3
-60.67%
Potato(1kg)
$0.55E£29.14
$2.36₱149
-76.69%
Onion(1kg)
$0.59E£31.72
$1.90₱119
-68.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.88E£47.16
$1.19₱74.9
-26.05%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20E£10.58
$0.63₱39.71
-68.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.50E£80.0
$3.00₱189
-50.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.79E£363
$6.03₱379
12.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58E£84.5
$1.23₱77.7
28.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.75₱110
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dahab
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.21E£11.08
$0.25₱15.86
-16.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$7.56E£404
$12.64₱796
-40.19%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77E£41.30
$0.77₱48.62
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.23₱14.53
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$4.46₱281
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.43E£23.13
$1.31₱82.8
-67.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.2K₱1.3M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$19.1K₱1.2M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dahab
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$17.85E£953
$120₱7,569
-85.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.84E£365
$14.00₱882
-51.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.89E£955
$27.54₱1,734
-35.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dahab
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$15.01E£801
$32.33₱2,035
-53.57%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.54E£509
$6.65₱419
43.46%
Cinema Ticket
$4.80E£257
$5.65₱356
-15.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dahab
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$275₱17.3K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$7,918₱498.5K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dahab
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$49.33₱3,106
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$25.24₱1,589
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$77.0₱4,846
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$57.2₱3,601
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dahab
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$187E£9,988
$500₱31.5K
-62.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$129E£6,868
$309₱19.4K
-58.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$529E£28.2K
$1,078₱67.9K
-50.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$316E£16.9K
$615₱38.7K
-48.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,886₱181.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,917₱120.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dahab
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$131E£6,973
$346₱21.8K
-62.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
7.2
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Dahab: October 12, 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
Dahab
$169 * 37.2%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↑ 22.2%$37
🏠Accommodation & Living
Dahab
$129 28.4%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↑ 140%$180
🍽Eating Out
Dahab
$80 17.6%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↑ 10.5%$8.4
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dahab
$43 9.4%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↑ 280%$119
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Dahab
$25 5.4%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↑ 77.2%$19
🚌Getting Around
Dahab
$9.2 * 2%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↑ 70%$6.4
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Dahab
- * 0%
Cebu
$94 10.2%
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Dahab
$392 * 37.1%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↑ 23.3%$91
🏠Accommodation & Living
Dahab
$316 29.9%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↑ 94.9%$300
🍽Eating Out
Dahab
$223 21.1%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↑ 31.1%$69
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dahab
$49 4.7%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↑ 256%$126
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Dahab
$59 5.6%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↑ 59.8%$35
🚌Getting Around
Dahab
$19 * 1.8%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↑ 68.8%$13
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Dahab
- * 0%
Cebu
$209 11%
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 $187 in Dahab and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cebu pays 165% 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: $13.00 in Dahab vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $206 per month, with Dahab 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
Dahab vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Dahab?
Dahab is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Dahab or Cebu?
On paper, salaries run 165% 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 Dahab and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $187 in Dahab 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 Dahab and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Dahab and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $453 per month in Dahab versus $918 in Cebu – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 enough for either Dahab or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Dahab gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Dahab or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Dahab 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, Dahab or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Dahab 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 Dahab gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.