Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Enschede and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,364 in Enschede, rent and utilities included – about $17,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Enschede
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,364
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,364 in Enschede versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Enschede $2,364
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,646 in Enschede versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Enschede $3,646
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,928 in Enschede versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Enschede $4,928
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Enschede is roughly 158% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Enschede is 75% above, Cebu is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Enschede
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.27 €18.92
$3.09 ₱194
588.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.9 €70.2
$24.22 ₱1,525
225.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.43 €13.72
$3.92 ₱247
293.62%
Cappuccino
$4.18 €3.72
$2.51 ₱158
66.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57 €3.17
$1.59 ₱100
124.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 €2.62
$0.53 ₱33.43
456.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.31 €5.61
$1.78 ₱112
254.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.37 €5.67
$2.17 ₱137
193.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Enschede
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.17
$1.92 ₱121
-31.25%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.14
$1.36 ₱85.4
77.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.72 €2.42
$1.01 ₱63.5
169.31%
Eggs
$4.39 €3.90
$2.03 ₱128
116.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.85 €12.32
$9.86 ₱621
40.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.23 €12.66
$4.39 ₱277
224.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.06 €13.40
$7.60 ₱479
98.16%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 €2.45
$3.30 ₱208
-16.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.16 €1.93
$1.39 ₱87.8
55.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.33 ₱147
-5.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.92 €4.38
$1.50 ₱94.3
228.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.95 €2.63
$2.36 ₱149
25.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$1.90 ₱119
10.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 €1.11
$1.19 ₱74.9
4.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 €0.63
$0.63 ₱39.71
12.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.10 €12.55
$3.00 ₱189
370.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.87 €6.11
$6.03 ₱379
13.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 €1.32
$1.23 ₱77.7
21.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 €2.53
$1.75 ₱110
62.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Enschede
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.98 €2.65
$0.25 ₱15.86
1092.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$110 €98.0
$12.64 ₱796
771.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.59 €3.19
$0.77 ₱48.62
366.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.64 €2.35
$0.23 ₱14.53
1047.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.66 €24.60
$4.46 ₱281
520.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.49 €2.21
$1.31 ₱82.8
90.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.9K €36.4K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
92.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.8K €35.4K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
107.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Enschede
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$259 €231
$120 ₱7,569
115.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.39 €19.03
$14.00 ₱882
52.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.28 €39.39
$27.54 ₱1,734
60.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Enschede
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.23 €29.56
$32.33 ₱2,035
2.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.80 €21.17
$6.65 ₱419
257.89%
Cinema Ticket
$18.94 €16.84
$5.65 ₱356
235.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Enschede
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,232 €1,096
$275 ₱17.3K
347.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,059 €7,168
$7,918 ₱498.5K
1.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Enschede
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.0 €83.6
$49.33 ₱3,106
90.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.43 €33.30
$25.24 ₱1,589
48.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.4 €81.3
$77.0 ₱4,846
18.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100 €89.2
$57.2 ₱3,601
75.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Enschede
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,310 €1,165
$500 ₱31.5K
162.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,010 €898
$309 ₱19.4K
226.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,479 €2,205
$1,078 ₱67.9K
129.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,941 €1,727
$615 ₱38.7K
215.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,543 €4,041
$2,886 ₱181.7K
57.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,149 €2,801
$1,917 ₱120.7K
64.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Enschede
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,838 €2,524
$346 ₱21.8K
720.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.6
7.2
-36.11%

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

Last update for Enschede: October 13, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Enschede
$1K
Cebu
$309 69.4% $701
Groceries & Markets
Enschede
$337
Cebu
$206 38.9% $131
Eating Out
Enschede
$337
Cebu
$88 73.8% $249
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Enschede
$325
Cebu
$162 50.2% $163
Clothing & Footwear
Enschede
$145
Cebu
$94 35.4% $51
Getting Around
Enschede
$139
Cebu
$16 88.8% $123
Sport & Entertainment
Enschede
$71
Cebu
$44 38.6% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,310 in Enschede and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Enschede pays 720% 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: $79.0 in Enschede vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Enschede
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
07:37 7:37 AM
13:37 1:37 PM
6 h ahead of Enschede
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
161,235
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
  • Enschede Cebu 10,850 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Enschede
  • 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
Enschede vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Enschede?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Enschede or Cebu?
Average pay runs 720% higher in Enschede, 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 Enschede and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,310 in Enschede 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 Enschede and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,364 per month in Enschede versus $918 in Cebu – a 158% 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 772% less than in Enschede. 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 Enschede or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,364 in Enschede, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Enschede. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Enschede or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Enschede, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Enschede or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Enschede 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 158% less than in Enschede. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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