Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Drachten and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,483 in Drachten, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Drachten
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,483
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,483 in Drachten versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Drachten $2,483
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,657 in Drachten versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Drachten $3,657
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,831 in Drachten versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Drachten $4,831
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Drachten 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: Drachten is 84% above, Cebu is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Drachten
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.26 €21.58
$3.09 ₱194
685.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.3 €75.0
$24.22 ₱1,525
248.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.55 €12.05
$3.92 ₱247
245.66%
Cappuccino
$3.98 €3.54
$2.51 ₱158
58.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 €3.22
$1.59 ₱100
127.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 €2.75
$0.53 ₱33.43
484.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.11
$1.78 ₱112
222.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.68 €5.05
$2.17 ₱137
161.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Drachten
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.03
$1.92 ₱121
-39.58%
White Bread (500g)
$1.34 €1.19
$1.36 ₱85.4
-1.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 €1.41
$1.01 ₱63.5
57.43%
Eggs
$5.00 €4.45
$2.03 ₱128
146.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.45 €11.07
$9.86 ₱621
26.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.26 €11.80
$4.39 ₱277
202.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.08 €10.74
$7.60 ₱479
58.95%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$3.30 ₱208
-43.64%
Banana (1kg)
$2.49 €2.22
$1.39 ₱87.8
79.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$2.33 ₱147
-18.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.14 €2.79
$1.50 ₱94.3
109.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.64 €1.45
$2.36 ₱149
-30.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.58 €1.41
$1.90 ₱119
-16.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.19 ₱74.9
7.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 €0.57
$0.63 ₱39.71
3.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.96 €7.97
$3.00 ₱189
198.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.86 €6.10
$6.03 ₱379
13.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.23 ₱77.7
19.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 €2.35
$1.75 ₱110
51.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Drachten
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.38 €3.00
$0.25 ₱15.86
1252.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$90.0 €80.1
$12.64 ₱796
612.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.19 €3.73
$0.77 ₱48.62
444.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.05 €2.71
$0.23 ₱14.53
1226.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$49.31 €43.86
$4.46 ₱281
1005.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.27 €2.01
$1.31 ₱82.8
73.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.5K €36.9K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
95.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.3K €33.2K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
94.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Drachten
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$276 €246
$120 ₱7,569
129.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.01 €21.35
$14.00 ₱882
71.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.46 €44.00
$27.54 ₱1,734
79.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Drachten
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.09 €36.55
$32.33 ₱2,035
27.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.13 €19.68
$6.65 ₱419
232.78%
Cinema Ticket
$16.02 €14.25
$5.65 ₱356
183.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Drachten
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,305 €2,050
$275 ₱17.3K
737.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,889 €7,018
$7,918 ₱498.5K
-0.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Drachten
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.0 €52.5
$49.33 ₱3,106
19.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.14 €39.26
$25.24 ₱1,589
74.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.4 €77.7
$77.0 ₱4,846
13.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 €121
$57.2 ₱3,601
137.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Drachten
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,430 €1,272
$500 ₱31.5K
186.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,155 €1,027
$309 ₱19.4K
273.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,384 €2,120
$1,078 ₱67.9K
121.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,900 €1,690
$615 ₱38.7K
208.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,428 €4,829
$2,886 ₱181.7K
88.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,379 €3,895
$1,917 ₱120.7K
128.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Drachten
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,515 €2,237
$346 ₱21.8K
627.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.3
7.2
-40.28%

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

Last update for Drachten: 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
Drachten
$1.2K
Cebu
$309 73.3% $846
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Drachten
$350
Cebu
$162 53.8% $188
Eating Out
Drachten
$349
Cebu
$88 74.7% $261
Groceries & Markets
Drachten
$286
Cebu
$206 28% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Drachten
$147
Cebu
$94 36% $53
Getting Around
Drachten
$123
Cebu
$16 87.3% $107
Sport & Entertainment
Drachten
$73
Cebu
$44 40.4% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,430 in Drachten and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Drachten pays 627% 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: $84.0 in Drachten vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Drachten
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
02:21 2:21 AM
08:21 8:21 AM
6 h ahead of Drachten
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
45,186
964,169
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 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
  • Drachten Cebu 10,850 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Drachten
  • 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
Drachten vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Drachten?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 171% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Drachten or Cebu?
Average pay runs 627% higher in Drachten, 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 Drachten and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,430 in Drachten 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 Drachten and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,483 per month in Drachten versus $918 in Cebu – a 171% 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 612% less than in Drachten. 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 Drachten or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,483 in Drachten, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Drachten. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Drachten or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Drachten, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Drachten or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Drachten 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 Drachten. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Drachten vs other spots: cost of living compared

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