For one person, living is cheaper in Gafsa: $586 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 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 Gafsa and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $586 in Gafsa versus $918 in Cebu.
Gafsa $586
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $903 in Gafsa versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Gafsa $903
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,220 in Gafsa versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Gafsa $1,220
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Gafsa costs roughly 36% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Gafsa57% lower, Cebu32% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Gafsa
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.96TND 11.86
$3.09₱194
28.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$9.87TND 29.56
$24.22₱1,525
-59.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.47TND 7.40
$3.92₱247
-36.99%
Cappuccino
$0.58TND 1.74
$2.51₱158
-76.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52TND 1.55
$1.59₱100
-67.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24TND 0.71
$0.53₱33.43
-54.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72TND 5.15
$1.78₱112
-3.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68TND 5.05
$2.17₱137
-22.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gafsa
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.46TND 1.39
$1.92₱121
-76.04%
White Bread(500g)
$0.13TND 0.39
$1.36₱85.4
-90.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.67TND 5.02
$1.01₱63.5
65.35%
Eggs
$1.04TND 3.13
$2.03₱128
-48.77%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.88TND 38.59
$9.86₱621
30.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.98TND 17.90
$4.39₱277
36.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.60TND 34.75
$7.60₱479
52.63%
Apples(1kg)
$1.39TND 4.15
$3.30₱208
-57.88%
Banana(1kg)
$3.02TND 9.05
$1.39₱87.8
117.27%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.83TND 2.48
$2.33₱147
-64.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.93TND 2.78
$1.50₱94.3
-38.00%
Potato(1kg)
$0.71TND 2.12
$2.36₱149
-69.92%
Onion(1kg)
$0.47TND 1.40
$1.90₱119
-75.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.45TND 1.35
$1.19₱74.9
-62.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.27TND 0.81
$0.63₱39.71
-57.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.52TND 7.54
$3.00₱189
-16.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.16TND 15.47
$6.03₱379
-14.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22TND 3.66
$1.23₱77.7
-0.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35TND 4.05
$1.75₱110
-22.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Gafsa
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.32TND 0.95
$0.25₱15.86
28.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.92TND 32.70
$12.64₱796
-13.61%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.29TND 0.86
$0.77₱48.62
-62.34%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.25TND 0.75
$0.23₱14.53
8.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.13TND 12.37
$4.46₱281
-7.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.87TND 2.61
$1.31₱82.8
-33.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2KTND 114.5K
$21.2K₱1.3M
79.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4KTND 93.9K
$19.1K₱1.2M
63.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gafsa
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$39.47TND 118
$120₱7,569
-67.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.41TND 25.20
$14.00₱882
-39.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.27TND 57.7
$27.54₱1,734
-30.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gafsa
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$15.29TND 45.80
$32.33₱2,035
-52.71%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.41TND 37.16
$6.65₱419
86.62%
Cinema Ticket
$3.43TND 10.27
$5.65₱356
-39.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gafsa
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$59.1TND 177
$275₱17.3K
-78.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,023TND 3,065
$7,918₱498.5K
-87.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gafsa
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.72TND 119
$49.33₱3,106
-19.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.5TND 157
$25.24₱1,589
107.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104TND 313
$77.0₱4,846
35.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113TND 340
$57.2₱3,601
98.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gafsa
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$141TND 422
$500₱31.5K
-71.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$102TND 304
$309₱19.4K
-67.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$205TND 615
$1,078₱67.9K
-80.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$153TND 458
$615₱38.7K
-75.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$969TND 2,904
$2,886₱181.7K
-66.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$358TND 1,073
$1,917₱120.7K
-81.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gafsa
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$305TND 913
$346₱21.8K
-11.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.88
7.2
23.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Gafsa: 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.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Gafsa
$180 30.8%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↑ 14.1%$25
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Gafsa
$140 23.8%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 32.7%$46
🏠Accommodation & Living
Gafsa
$102 17.3%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↑ 204%$207
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gafsa
$67 11.5%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↑ 141%$95
🍽Eating Out
Gafsa
$61 10.4%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↑ 44.6%$27
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Gafsa
$22 3.8%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↑ 96.9%$21
🚌Getting Around
Gafsa
$14 2.3%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↑ 13.4%$1.8
🛒Groceries & Markets
Gafsa
$425 34.8%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↑ 13.6%$58
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Gafsa
$310 25.4%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 32.7%$101
🏠Accommodation & Living
Gafsa
$153 12.5%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↑ 302%$462
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gafsa
$76 6.2%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↑ 133%$100
🍽Eating Out
Gafsa
$172 14.1%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↑ 69.9%$120
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Gafsa
$57 4.7%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↑ 65.6%$37
🚌Getting Around
Gafsa
$28 2.3%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↑ 12.6%$3.6
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $141 in Gafsa and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cebu pays 13% 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: $10.00 in Gafsa vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $206 per month, with Gafsa 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
Gafsa vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Gafsa?
Gafsa is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Gafsa or Cebu?
On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Cebu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Gafsa and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $141 in Gafsa 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 Gafsa and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $586 per month in Gafsa versus $918 in Cebu – a 57% 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 Gafsa runs roughly 16% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Gafsa or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Gafsa gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Gafsa or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Gafsa 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, Gafsa or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Gafsa 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 Gafsa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.