Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Den Helder and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,004 in Den Helder, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Den Helder
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,004
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,004 in Den Helder versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Den Helder $2,004
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,055 in Den Helder versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Den Helder $3,055
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,107 in Den Helder versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Den Helder $4,107
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Den Helder is roughly 118% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Den Helder is 48% above, Cebu is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Den Helder
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.62 €17.45
$3.09 ₱194
534.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.1 €46.35
$24.22 ₱1,525
115.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 €7.50
$3.92 ₱247
115.05%
Cappuccino
$3.75 €3.33
$2.51 ₱158
49.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.66
$1.59 ₱100
88.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 €2.55
$0.53 ₱33.43
441.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.13 €4.56
$1.78 ₱112
188.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 €4.39
$2.17 ₱137
127.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Den Helder
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 €1.01
$1.92 ₱121
-40.63%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 €1.09
$1.36 ₱85.4
-10.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.86 €0.76
$1.01 ₱63.5
-14.85%
Eggs
$4.25 €3.78
$2.03 ₱128
109.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 €8.89
$9.86 ₱621
1.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.09 €12.54
$4.39 ₱277
220.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.67 €13.94
$7.60 ₱479
106.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 €2.32
$3.30 ₱208
-20.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.99 €1.77
$1.39 ₱87.8
43.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.26 €1.12
$2.33 ₱147
-45.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.27 €3.79
$1.50 ₱94.3
184.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.39 €1.24
$2.36 ₱149
-41.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 €0.89
$1.90 ₱119
-47.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.95 €0.84
$1.19 ₱74.9
-20.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 €0.67
$0.63 ₱39.71
19.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.44 €11.95
$3.00 ₱189
348.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.05 €6.27
$6.03 ₱379
16.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 €1.16
$1.23 ₱77.7
6.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 €2.29
$1.75 ₱110
46.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Den Helder
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$9.32 €8.29
$0.25 ₱15.86
3628.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$154 €137
$12.64 ₱796
1116.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.87 €3.44
$0.77 ₱48.62
402.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.17 €2.82
$0.23 ₱14.53
1278.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.72 €32.66
$4.46 ₱281
723.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.38 €2.11
$1.31 ₱82.8
81.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.8K €36.3K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
92.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.4K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
102.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Den Helder
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$204 €181
$120 ₱7,569
69.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.52 €13.81
$14.00 ₱882
10.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.77 €17.59
$27.54 ₱1,734
-28.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Den Helder
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.92 €21.27
$32.33 ₱2,035
-26.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.61 €17.44
$6.65 ₱419
194.89%
Cinema Ticket
$14.23 €12.66
$5.65 ₱356
151.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Den Helder
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,738 €1,546
$275 ₱17.3K
531.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.3K €11.8K
$7,918 ₱498.5K
68.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Den Helder
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$113 €101
$49.33 ₱3,106
129.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.62 €42.35
$25.24 ₱1,589
88.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 €104
$77.0 ₱4,846
52.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 €124
$57.2 ₱3,601
143.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Den Helder
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$895 €796
$500 ₱31.5K
79.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$740 €658
$309 ₱19.4K
139.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,796 €1,597
$1,078 ₱67.9K
66.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,344 €1,195
$615 ₱38.7K
118.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,920 €2,597
$2,886 ₱181.7K
1.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,917 ₱120.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Den Helder
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,419 €2,152
$346 ₱21.8K
599.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.8
7.2
-61.11%

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

Last update for Den Helder: 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
Den Helder
$740
Cebu
$309 58.3% $431
Groceries & Markets
Den Helder
$288
Cebu
$206 28.4% $82
Eating Out
Den Helder
$286
Cebu
$88 69.2% $198
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Den Helder
$239
Cebu
$162 32.3% $77
Getting Around
Den Helder
$211
Cebu
$16 92.6% $195
Clothing & Footwear
Den Helder
$188
Cebu
$94 50% $94
Sport & Entertainment
Den Helder
$52
Cebu
$44 16.7% $8.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $895 in Den Helder and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Den Helder pays 599% 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: $52.0 in Den Helder vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Den Helder
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
13:31 1:31 PM
19:31 7:31 PM
6 h ahead of Den Helder
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
56,296
964,169
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Den Helder Cebu 10,940 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Den Helder
  • 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
Den Helder vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Den Helder?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Den Helder or Cebu?
Average pay runs 599% higher in Den Helder, 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 Den Helder and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $895 in Den Helder versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Den Helder and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,004 per month in Den Helder versus $918 in Cebu – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 1117% less than in Den Helder. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Den Helder or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,004 in Den Helder, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Den Helder. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Den Helder or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Den Helder, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Den Helder or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Den Helder 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 118% less than in Den Helder. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Den Helder vs other spots: cost of living compared

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