For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,167 in Derby, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Derby and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,167 in Derby versus $934 in Cebu.
Derby $2,167
Cebu $934
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,327 in Derby versus $1,415 in Cebu.
Derby $3,327
Cebu $1,415
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,486 in Derby versus $1,896 in Cebu.
Derby $4,486
Cebu $1,896
🌍
Living in Derby is roughly 132% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Derby is 62% above, Cebu is 30% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Derby
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.91£20.33
$3.03₱190
788.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.2£71.2
$23.48₱1,473
301.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.43£7.88
$4.09₱256
155.01%
Cappuccino
$4.99£3.77
$2.52₱158
98.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61£1.98
$1.54₱96.9
69.48%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96£1.48
$0.49₱30.98
300.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.44£4.87
$1.79₱112
259.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.27£5.49
$2.26₱142
221.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Derby
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.55£1.18
$1.95₱122
-20.51%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43£1.08
$1.43₱89.7
-
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.38£1.79
$1.02₱63.8
133.33%
Eggs
$3.79£2.87
$2.06₱129
83.98%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.33£6.30
$9.81₱615
-15.09%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.28£6.26
$4.61₱289
79.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.21£17.54
$7.70₱483
201.43%
Apples(1kg)
$5.35£4.04
$3.31₱207
61.63%
Banana(1kg)
$2.82£2.13
$1.45₱90.9
94.48%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.08£2.33
$2.36₱148
30.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.66£2.76
$1.54₱96.4
137.66%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47£1.11
$2.36₱148
-37.71%
Onion(1kg)
$1.60£1.21
$1.99₱125
-19.60%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.05£0.79
$1.15₱72.1
-8.70%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.36£1.03
$0.67₱42.15
102.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$23.53£17.78
$3.00₱188
684.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.47£7.91
$6.35₱398
64.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.13£2.37
$1.31₱81.9
138.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55£2.68
$1.73₱108
105.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Derby
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.91£2.20
$0.25₱15.78
1064.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$90.0£68.0
$12.65₱793
611.46%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.38£3.31
$0.74₱46.32
491.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.66£1.25
$0.21₱13.11
690.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$32.34£24.44
$4.33₱271
646.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.01£1.52
$1.33₱83.5
51.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.0K£28.7K
$21.8K₱1.4M
74.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K£30.0K
$19.4K₱1.2M
104.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Derby
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$367£277
$121₱7,563
204.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.46£14.70
$14.45₱907
34.67%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.48£30.59
$28.29₱1,774
43.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Derby
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.27£33.45
$32.68₱2,050
35.47%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.00£19.65
$6.39₱401
306.89%
Cinema Ticket
$15.41£11.64
$5.46₱342
182.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Derby
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,808£1,366
$273₱17.1K
561.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$20.3K£15.4K
$8,156₱511.5K
149.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Derby
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$113£85.7
$49.57₱3,109
128.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.6£42.78
$24.87₱1,560
127.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.4£63.8
$76.6₱4,804
10.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.5£74.5
$59.3₱3,717
66.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Derby
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$804£608
$506₱31.7K
59.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$720£544
$309₱19.4K
132.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,576£1,191
$1,052₱66.0K
49.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,345£1,016
$619₱38.8K
117.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,789£4,375
$2,915₱182.9K
98.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,100£2,343
$1,867₱117.1K
66.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Derby
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,570£2,698
$341₱21.4K
946.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.88
7.2
-32.22%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Derby: October 5, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 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.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Derby
$720 32.7%
Cebu
$309 33.5% ↓ 57%$410
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Derby
$427 19.4%
Cebu
$163 17.7% ↓ 61.7%$264
🍽Eating Out
Derby
$371 16.9%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 76.2%$283
🛒Groceries & Markets
Derby
$337 15.3%
Cebu
$210 22.7% ↓ 37.5%$126
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Derby
$159 7.2%
Cebu
$95 10.2% ↓ 40.4%$64
🚌Getting Around
Derby
$114 5.2%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 86.5%$99
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Derby
$75 3.4%
Cebu
$44 4.7% ↓ 41.9%$31
🏠Accommodation & Living
Derby
$1.3K 29.4%
Cebu
$619 32.4% ↓ 54%$726
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Derby
$446 9.8%
Cebu
$178 9.3% ↓ 60.2%$269
🍽Eating Out
Derby
$1.2K 27%
Cebu
$288 15.1% ↓ 76.6%$947
🛒Groceries & Markets
Derby
$788 17.2%
Cebu
$493 25.8% ↓ 37.5%$296
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Derby
$353 7.7%
Cebu
$210 11% ↓ 40.4%$143
🚌Getting Around
Derby
$234 5.1%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 86.6%$203
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Derby
$176 3.9%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 46.9%$83
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $804 in Derby and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Derby pays 947% 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: $94.0 in Derby vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $210 per month, with Cebu 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
Derby vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Derby?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Derby or Cebu?
Average pay runs 947% higher in Derby, 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 Derby and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $804 in Derby versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Derby and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,167 per month in Derby versus $934 in Cebu – a 132% 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 611% less than in Derby. 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 Derby or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $2,167 in Derby, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Derby. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Derby or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Derby, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Derby or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Derby 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 132% less than in Derby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.