For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,484 in Derry, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 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 Derry and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,484 in Derry versus $918 in Cebu.
Derry $2,484
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,000 in Derry versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Derry $3,000
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Derry versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Derry $3,516
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Derry is roughly 171% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Derry is 84% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Derry
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.52€18.25
$3.09₱195
564.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.2€45.58
$24.22₱1,525
111.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.39€8.35
$3.92₱247
139.54%
Cappuccino
$4.44€3.95
$2.51₱158
76.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64€1.46
$1.59₱100
3.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63€1.45
$0.53₱33.45
207.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.17€4.60
$1.78₱112
190.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.68€5.94
$2.17₱137
207.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Derry
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.48€1.31
$1.92₱121
-22.92%
White Bread(500g)
$1.49€1.33
$1.36₱85.5
9.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.06€1.83
$1.01₱63.6
103.96%
Eggs
$3.40€3.02
$2.03₱128
67.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.23€11.77
$9.86₱621
34.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.04€8.93
$4.39₱277
128.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.19€11.73
$7.60₱479
73.55%
Apples(1kg)
$2.93€2.61
$3.30₱208
-11.21%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61€1.43
$1.39₱87.8
15.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.03€2.70
$2.33₱147
30.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.15€3.69
$1.50₱94.3
176.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.02€0.90
$2.36₱149
-56.78%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42€1.26
$1.90₱119
-25.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02€0.91
$1.19₱74.9
-14.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.85€1.65
$0.63₱39.73
193.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$20.71€18.42
$3.00₱189
590.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.27€9.14
$6.03₱380
70.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.24€1.99
$1.23₱77.7
82.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62€2.33
$1.75₱110
49.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Derry
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.60€2.32
$0.25₱15.87
940.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$12.64₱796
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.20€4.63
$0.77₱48.64
575.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.41€1.26
$0.23₱14.54
513.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$56.0€49.77
$4.46₱281
1154.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.97€1.75
$1.31₱82.8
50.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K€34.3K
$21.2K₱1.3M
81.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.9K€32.8K
$19.1K₱1.2M
92.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Derry
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$243€216
$120₱7,573
101.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.14€18.80
$14.00₱882
51.00%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.5€44.90
$27.54₱1,735
83.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Derry
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.93€31.95
$32.33₱2,036
11.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.84€22.98
$6.65₱419
288.57%
Cinema Ticket
$13.02€11.58
$5.65₱356
130.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Derry
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,196€1,064
$275₱17.3K
334.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,163€4,592
$7,918₱498.8K
-34.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Derry
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101€89.9
$49.33₱3,107
104.99%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.64€43.26
$25.24₱1,590
92.71%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.9€87.9
$77.0₱4,848
28.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.9€64.8
$57.2₱3,603
27.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Derry
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,574€1,400
$500₱31.5K
215.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,335€1,187
$309₱19.5K
332.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,322€1,176
$1,078₱67.9K
22.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,085€965
$615₱38.8K
76.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,310€2,055
$2,886₱181.8K
-19.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,702€1,514
$1,917₱120.7K
-11.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Derry
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,599€2,312
$346₱21.8K
651.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.68
7.2
-48.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Derry: 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.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Derry
$1.3K 53.8%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 76.9%$1K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Derry
$314 12.7%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 48.5%$153
🛒Groceries & Markets
Derry
$307 12.4%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 33%$102
🍽Eating Out
Derry
$298 12%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 70.4%$210
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Derry
$145 5.8%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 35.1%$51
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Derry
$62 2.5%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 29.6%$18
🚌Getting Around
Derry
$23 * 0.9%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 31.3%$7.1
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Derry
$1.1K 30.9%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 43.3%$470
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Derry
$335 9.5%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 47.6%$160
🛒Groceries & Markets
Derry
$707 20.1%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 31.7%$224
🍽Eating Out
Derry
$867 24.7%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 66.3%$575
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Derry
$321 9.1%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 35.1%$113
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Derry
$150 4.3%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 37.3%$56
🚌Getting Around
Derry
$51 * 1.4%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 37.4%$19
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 $1,574 in Derry and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Derry pays 651% 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: $51.0 in Derry vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $206 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
Derry vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Derry?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 171% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Derry or Cebu?
Average pay runs 651% higher in Derry, 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 Derry and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,574 in Derry 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 Derry and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Derry. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Derry and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,484 per month in Derry versus $918 in Cebu – a 171% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Derry or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,484 in Derry, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Derry. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Derry or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Derry, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Derry or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Derry 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 171% less than in Derry. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.