Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Duhok and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Duhok: $602 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Duhok
🇮🇶 Iraq
$602
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $602 in Duhok versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Duhok $602
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $968 in Duhok versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Duhok $968
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,334 in Duhok versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Duhok $1,334
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Duhok costs roughly 34% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duhok 55% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Duhok
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.35 IQD 5,069
$3.09 ₱194
8.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.55 IQD 25.0K
$24.22 ₱1,525
-31.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.04 IQD 10.6K
$3.92 ₱247
79.59%
Cappuccino
$2.32 IQD 3,511
$2.51 ₱158
-7.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 IQD 517
$1.59 ₱100
-78.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 IQD 229
$0.53 ₱33.43
-71.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.61 IQD 2,430
$1.78 ₱112
-9.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 IQD 2,930
$2.17 ₱137
-10.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Duhok
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 IQD 1,680
$1.92 ₱121
-42.19%
White Bread (500g)
$0.67 IQD 1,017
$1.36 ₱85.4
-50.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 IQD 2,262
$1.01 ₱63.5
48.51%
Eggs
$1.58 IQD 2,385
$2.03 ₱128
-22.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.03 IQD 7,594
$9.86 ₱621
-48.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.95 IQD 4,460
$4.39 ₱277
-32.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.83 IQD 16.4K
$7.60 ₱479
42.50%
Apples (1kg)
$0.96 IQD 1,453
$3.30 ₱208
-70.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.00 IQD 1,506
$1.39 ₱87.8
-28.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.73 IQD 1,109
$2.33 ₱147
-68.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.68 IQD 1,028
$1.50 ₱94.3
-54.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.59 IQD 894
$2.36 ₱149
-75.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.63 IQD 948
$1.90 ₱119
-66.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.61 IQD 926
$1.19 ₱74.9
-48.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 IQD 719
$0.63 ₱39.71
-23.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.74 IQD 2,630
$3.00 ₱189
-42.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.58 IQD 16.0K
$6.03 ₱379
75.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 IQD 2,200
$1.23 ₱77.7
18.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 IQD 2,749
$1.75 ₱110
4.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Duhok
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.32 IQD 486
$0.25 ₱15.86
28.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.69 IQD 23.7K
$12.64 ₱796
24.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.69 IQD 2,555
$0.77 ₱48.62
119.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.28 IQD 1,930
$0.23 ₱14.53
456.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.62 IQD 8,491
$4.46 ₱281
26.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.59 IQD 884
$1.31 ₱82.8
-54.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.5K IQD 24.9M
$21.2K ₱1.3M
-22.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.0K IQD 25.7M
$19.1K ₱1.2M
-11.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Duhok
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.5 IQD 129.1K
$120 ₱7,569
-28.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.81 IQD 13.3K
$14.00 ₱882
-37.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.12 IQD 36.4K
$27.54 ₱1,734
-12.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Duhok
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.83 IQD 75.3K
$32.33 ₱2,035
54.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.66 IQD 40.3K
$6.65 ₱419
300.90%
Cinema Ticket
$7.55 IQD 11.4K
$5.65 ₱356
33.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Duhok
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$108 IQD 163.9K
$275 ₱17.3K
-60.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,793 IQD 4.2M
$7,918 ₱498.5K
-64.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Duhok
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$10.25 IQD 15.5K
$49.33 ₱3,106
-79.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.62 IQD 29.6K
$25.24 ₱1,589
-22.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$29.73 IQD 44.9K
$77.0 ₱4,846
-61.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$19.93 IQD 30.1K
$57.2 ₱3,601
-65.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Duhok
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$161 IQD 243.5K
$500 ₱31.5K
-67.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$115 IQD 174.0K
$309 ₱19.4K
-62.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$329 IQD 497.2K
$1,078 ₱67.9K
-69.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$318 IQD 480.4K
$615 ₱38.7K
-48.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$430 IQD 649.7K
$2,886 ₱181.7K
-85.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$362 IQD 547.5K
$1,917 ₱120.7K
-81.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Duhok
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$421 IQD 635.5K
$346 ₱21.8K
21.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.53
7.2
-64.86%

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

Last update for Duhok: October 13, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Duhok
$153
Cebu
$206 34.6% $53
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Duhok
$118
Cebu
$162 36.6% $43
Accommodation & Living
Duhok
$115
Cebu
$309 168% $194
Eating Out
Duhok
$90
Cebu
$88 1.6% $1.5
Sport & Entertainment
Duhok
$65
Cebu
$44 32.8% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Duhok
$36
Cebu
$94 162% $58
Getting Around
Duhok
$25
Cebu
$16 37.8% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $161 in Duhok and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duhok pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $17.00 in Duhok vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $153 vs $206 per month, with Duhok cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇶 Duhok
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
21:43 9:43 PM
02:43 2:43 AM
5 h ahead of Duhok
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
340,900
964,169
💱 Currency
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

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
  • Duhok Cebu 8,520 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Duhok
  • 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
Duhok vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Duhok?
Duhok is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and utilities. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Duhok or Cebu?
Average pay runs 22% higher in Duhok, 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 Duhok and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $161 in Duhok 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 Duhok and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $602 per month in Duhok versus $918 in Cebu – a 52% 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 Duhok runs roughly 24% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,200 enough for either Duhok or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Duhok gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Duhok or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Duhok 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, Duhok or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Duhok 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 Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Duhok vs other spots: cost of living compared

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