For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,480 in Epsom, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 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 Epsom and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,480 in Epsom versus $918 in Cebu.
Epsom $2,480
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,657 in Epsom versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Epsom $3,657
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,835 in Epsom versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Epsom $4,835
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Epsom is roughly 170% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Epsom is 84% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Epsom
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.45£19.09
$3.09₱194
723.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$93.9£70.4
$24.22₱1,525
287.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.33£7.75
$3.92₱247
163.52%
Cappuccino
$5.22£3.91
$2.51₱158
107.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34£2.50
$1.59₱100
110.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33£2.50
$0.53₱33.43
528.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.81£6.61
$1.78₱112
394.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.85£5.89
$2.17₱137
261.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Epsom
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.83£1.37
$1.92₱121
-4.69%
White Bread(500g)
$1.98£1.49
$1.36₱85.4
45.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17£1.62
$1.01₱63.5
114.85%
Eggs
$4.49£3.37
$2.03₱128
121.18%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.99£8.99
$9.86₱621
21.60%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.98£6.74
$4.39₱277
104.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.47£11.61
$7.60₱479
103.55%
Apples(1kg)
$2.97£2.23
$3.30₱208
-10.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.40£1.05
$1.39₱87.8
0.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.91£2.19
$2.33₱147
24.89%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.25£2.44
$1.50₱94.3
116.67%
Potato(1kg)
$2.03£1.52
$2.36₱149
-13.98%
Onion(1kg)
$1.85£1.39
$1.90₱119
-2.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13£0.85
$1.19₱74.9
-5.04%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.85£1.39
$0.63₱39.71
193.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$23.91£17.94
$3.00₱189
697.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.64£9.48
$6.03₱379
109.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.94£2.20
$1.23₱77.7
139.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09£2.32
$1.75₱110
76.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Epsom
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.42£2.56
$0.25₱15.86
1268.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$96.7£72.6
$12.64₱796
665.27%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.88£3.66
$0.77₱48.62
533.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.65£1.99
$0.23₱14.53
1052.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$25.98£19.49
$4.46₱281
482.51%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.16£1.62
$1.31₱82.8
64.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.6K£28.2K
$21.2K₱1.3M
76.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.2K£30.2K
$19.1K₱1.2M
109.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Epsom
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$333£250
$120₱7,569
176.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.60£12.46
$14.00₱882
18.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.06£33.80
$27.54₱1,734
63.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Epsom
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.74£34.31
$32.33₱2,035
41.48%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.94£13.46
$5.65₱356
217.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Epsom
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$2,030£1,523
$275₱17.3K
637.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$30.6K£22.9K
$7,918₱498.5K
286.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Epsom
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.0£67.5
$49.33₱3,106
82.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.64£34.24
$25.24₱1,589
80.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101£76.1
$77.0₱4,846
31.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.7£71.8
$57.2₱3,601
67.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Epsom
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,220£915
$500₱31.5K
144.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,016£762
$309₱19.4K
229.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,099£1,575
$1,078₱67.9K
94.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,671£1,253
$615₱38.7K
171.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,191£5,395
$2,886₱181.7K
149.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,924£2,944
$1,917₱120.7K
104.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Epsom
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,921£2,941
$346₱21.8K
1033.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.12
7.2
-28.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Epsom: October 11, 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
Epsom
$1K 41%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 69.6%$707
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Epsom
$394 15.9%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 59%$233
🍽Eating Out
Epsom
$384 15.5%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 77%$295
🛒Groceries & Markets
Epsom
$326 13.1%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 36.8%$120
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Epsom
$150 6%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 37.3%$56
🚌Getting Around
Epsom
$129 5.2%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 87.9%$113
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Epsom
$82 3.3%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 46.6%$38
🏠Accommodation & Living
Epsom
$1.7K 34.6%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 63.2%$1.1K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Epsom
$411 8.5%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 57.2%$235
🍽Eating Out
Epsom
$1.2K 25.8%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 76.6%$954
🛒Groceries & Markets
Epsom
$747 15.4%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 35.3%$264
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Epsom
$333 6.9%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 37.3%$124
🚌Getting Around
Epsom
$264 5.5%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 88%$232
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Epsom
$163 * 3.4%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 42.5%$69
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 $1,220 in Epsom and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Epsom pays 1033% 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 Epsom vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 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
Epsom vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Epsom?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 170% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Epsom or Cebu?
Average pay runs 1033% higher in Epsom, 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 Epsom and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,220 in Epsom 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 Epsom and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,480 per month in Epsom versus $918 in Cebu – a 170% 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 665% less than in Epsom. 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 Epsom or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,480 in Epsom, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Epsom. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Epsom or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Epsom, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Epsom or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Epsom 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 170% less than in Epsom. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.