For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,397 in Fermoy, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 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 Fermoy and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,397 in Fermoy versus $918 in Cebu.
Fermoy $2,397
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,554 in Fermoy versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Fermoy $3,554
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,712 in Fermoy versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Fermoy $4,712
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Fermoy is roughly 161% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Fermoy is 78% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Fermoy
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.12€10.78
$3.09₱195
292.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.0€60.4
$24.22₱1,525
180.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.07€8.96
$3.92₱247
156.89%
Cappuccino
$3.65€3.24
$2.51₱158
45.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17€1.93
$1.59₱100
36.48%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74€1.55
$0.53₱33.45
228.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.59€4.08
$1.78₱112
157.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.43€4.83
$2.17₱137
150.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fermoy
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.59€1.42
$1.92₱121
-17.19%
White Bread(500g)
$2.02€1.80
$1.36₱85.5
48.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.14€1.02
$1.01₱63.6
12.87%
Eggs
$4.88€4.34
$2.03₱128
140.39%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.17€9.04
$9.86₱621
3.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.85€11.43
$4.39₱277
192.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.25€14.45
$7.60₱479
113.82%
Apples(1kg)
$2.79€2.48
$3.30₱208
-15.45%
Banana(1kg)
$2.29€2.03
$1.39₱87.8
64.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.71€2.41
$2.33₱147
16.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.29€4.70
$1.50₱94.3
252.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.85€1.64
$2.36₱149
-21.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51€1.35
$1.90₱119
-20.53%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.32€1.17
$1.19₱74.9
10.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.07€1.84
$0.63₱39.73
228.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$19.24€17.11
$3.00₱189
541.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.26€10.01
$6.03₱380
86.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.37€3.00
$1.23₱77.7
173.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45€3.07
$1.75₱110
97.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Fermoy
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.63€2.34
$0.25₱15.87
952.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$12.64₱796
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.01€4.45
$0.77₱48.64
550.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.55€1.38
$0.23₱14.54
573.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$38.20€33.97
$4.46₱281
756.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.86€1.65
$1.31₱82.8
41.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.1K€33.9K
$21.2K₱1.3M
79.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K€35.3K
$19.1K₱1.2M
107.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fermoy
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$278€247
$120₱7,573
131.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.10€16.10
$14.00₱882
29.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.6€45.86
$27.54₱1,735
87.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fermoy
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.9€52.4
$32.33₱2,036
82.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.60€13.87
$5.65₱356
176.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fermoy
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,282€1,140
$275₱17.3K
365.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,425€4,825
$7,918₱498.8K
-31.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fermoy
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$107€95.2
$49.33₱3,107
116.99%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.0€45.33
$25.24₱1,590
101.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114€101
$77.0₱4,848
48.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129€114
$57.2₱3,603
124.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fermoy
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,556€1,384
$500₱31.5K
211.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,181€1,051
$309₱19.5K
282.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,578€2,293
$1,078₱67.9K
139.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,120€1,885
$615₱38.8K
244.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,886₱181.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,917₱120.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fermoy
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,707€1,518
$346₱21.8K
393.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.82
7.2
-46.94%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Fermoy: 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
Fermoy
$1.2K 49.3%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 73.9%$873
🛒Groceries & Markets
Fermoy
$354 14.8%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 41.8%$148
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fermoy
$348 14.5%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 53.5%$186
🍽Eating Out
Fermoy
$220 9.2%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 59.9%$132
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Fermoy
$180 7.5%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 47.9%$86
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Fermoy
$90 3.8%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 51.6%$46
🚌Getting Around
Fermoy
$23 * 1%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 33.2%$7.7
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Fermoy
$2.1K 45%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 71%$1.5K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Fermoy
$816 17.3%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 40.8%$333
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fermoy
$366 7.8%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 52%$190
🍽Eating Out
Fermoy
$778 16.5%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 62.4%$486
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Fermoy
$401 8.5%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 47.9%$192
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Fermoy
$180 * 3.8%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 47.9%$86
🚌Getting Around
Fermoy
$52 * 1.1%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 39%$20
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 $1,556 in Fermoy and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Fermoy pays 393% 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: $68.0 in Fermoy vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 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
Fermoy vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Fermoy?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Fermoy or Cebu?
Average pay runs 393% higher in Fermoy, 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 Fermoy and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,556 in Fermoy 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 Fermoy and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Fermoy. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Fermoy and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,397 per month in Fermoy versus $918 in Cebu – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Fermoy or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,397 in Fermoy, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Fermoy. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Fermoy or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fermoy, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Fermoy or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Fermoy 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 161% less than in Fermoy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.